


Pieces of Us

by shippasfuxk



Category: Legacies (TV 2018), The Vampire Diaries & Related Fandoms, The Vampire Diaries (TV)
Genre: Angst, Eventual Fluff, Exes, Exes to Lovers, F/F, Hope Mikaelson & Penelope Park Friendship, Legacies, Love, Parent Damon Salvatore, Soft Josie Saltzman, Vampire Caroline Forbes, Vampires, heretic?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-02
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-15 15:28:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 21,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29686050
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shippasfuxk/pseuds/shippasfuxk
Summary: Damon Salvatore makes a grand return to The Salvatore School, bringing his daughter Stephanie and her new best friend; basically his daughter, Penelope Park along with him. Penelope is her usual snarky self, maybe even worse than before and Josie finds herself completely blindsided by seeing her ex for the first time in more than a year.Penelope and Stephanie are only at Salvatore because they were expelled from their boarding school in Belgium for certain...vampire activities, and they need Caroline's help with the transition from witch to vampire hybrids.
Relationships: Josie Saltzman/Other(s), Minor or Background Relationship(s), Penelope Park/Josie Saltzman, Penelope Park/Other(s)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 62





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> The second I had this idea I couldn't stop writing it....I wrote six chapters in one sitting, and I have plentyyy more. Anyway, I hope you like it and let me know what you think :)
> 
> The title is based of off Pieces of Us by King Princess, I think if you really listen to the lyrics it easily connects to Penelope and Josie!!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Penelope and Stephanie move in to the school, Josie is pouting about Penelope being back, Caroline makes an appearance, Josie finds out Penelope is a vampire, and Damon is his sassy self in parent form.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I could. Not. Stop. Writing. This. Since I had the idea, I wrote six chapters in a day.
> 
> The title is based of Pieces of Us by King Princess, I think the lyrics are similar to how both Penelope and Josie feel in this chapter, and probably a lot through the rest of the story.

Penelope actually enjoyed her time in Belgium. Not really the school- she was still processing saying goodbye to Josie, and she just had trouble adjusting to the new place. That is until she met Stephanie, who is just as reckless and against the rules as she is. She and Stephanie were basically sisters, attached at the hip after their first year together Penelope even joined her family for holidays and breaks rather than going back to her own- it's not like they missed her. The against the rules part? Well that's what got them on a late flight back to the Salvatore School with Damon scolding them every few minutes.

This particular type of trouble wasn't exactly their fault...but they are in a quite the predicament. Regardless, Penelope has decided to act like everything is normal when she re-enters the school. Maybe she's hesitant to see Josie for the first time in a while...

"I met 'ol Steph here in Belgium, believe it or not. Seems her parents aren't too fond of Mystic Falls anymore." Penelope pats her best friends back, encouraging her to introduce herself.

"Stephanie" the girl introduces herself and Penelope rolls her eyes.

"Come on, last name too bud. Kind of the important part."

"Stephanie Salvatore" The girl looks back to Penelope with a fond eye roll and turns to the few people in front of her.

"Hope...Mikaelson" Hope introduces herself with a shy smile as well.

"Well it looks like we have a lot to talk about then, and I know you two." Stephanie grins and turns to the twins to pull them into a hug. How Penelope got herself into the mess of having her best friend be some sort of cousin to the Saltzman's? Only god knows, like seriously, that was the plot twist she never saw coming. Along with the whole Salvatore thing. 

"Hi Stephanie." Josie hugs back and Lizzie speaks up, "Yeah...but why are you here? Not you, Stephanie. I'm more concerned with Voldemort making a grand reappearance."

"You know saying my name gives me power, right Liz?" Penelope saunters down the stairs with even more spunk than before, if that's possible. As if she's re-claiming the school as her own, and Josie feels her blood boil. She is so not in the mood to deal with her selfish ex right now. Lizzie rolls her eyes with a grunt, unwilling to talk to Penelope more than she already has.

Stephanie moves to talk to Hope, the both of them seeming genuinely interested in meeting each other after family stories about Mystic Falls, but unfortunately that also gives Penelope a chance to walk over to Josie. Josie hadn't seen her 'cousin' Stephanie since they were something like two years old, and she'd would be happy to see her if she wasn't brought back by Penelope's side, which she is definitely going to need an explanation for later.

"And who the hell are you?"

What a great start, Penelope is already being her obnoxiously rude self. To Jade of all people.

"I'm Jade. Who are you?"

"Penelope Park, happy to meet you" Penelope smirks down at this 'Jade', and Josie rolls her eyes. Why does Penelope have to be like this? She hasn't even talked to Jade about Penelope yet, and to be honest she didn't plan to- Jade is just a girl she's messing around with.

"And Josie" she turns to fully face her, ignoring Jade behind her. She winks "good to see they still keep a few pretty faces around here."

"Why are you here Penelope?" Josie scowls, trying not to let herself be too bothered by Penelope coming back completely unannounced, but she fails miserably and it's written all over her face.

"Back for the big birthday party coming up, why else?" Penelope jokes and Stephanie smacks her arm, sensing her teasing.

"Well...happy early birthday to you guys, but that's not exactly why we're here. Just a happy coincidence." She slings and arm around Penelope's shoulder and tussles up Penelope's hair. Penelope tries to move away from her, but Stephanie keeps her locked under her arm with a laugh. They're acting like siblings who are best friends and it's scary to think about what kind of trouble they get in on a daily basis.

Josie thinks Penelope looks happy, though, and that's frustrating because she's not sure she's happy herself.

"Hey! You two bozos! Let's go." A man calls from the hall and everyone turns, "Come on, we don't have all day for your dilly-dallying lets gooooo." It's suddenly clear to everyone that this is Damon Salvatore, Stephanie's father, and it's even funnier considering neither of the two girls he's yelling at seem even slightly scared of him.

"We kind of do have all day" Penelope mumbles and Damon flicks the back of her head, pushing her toward the doors of Alaric's office.

Josie and Lizzie both look at each other in shock when Alaric opens the door with a stern look, only able to hold it for maybe three seconds before he and Damon burst into laughter, slapping each other's back and entering his office.

"What the hell?! Did Dad invite Satan and her best buddy back and not tell us?" Lizzie practically has steam coming out her ears and Hope stifles a laugh.

"Obviously" Hope rolls her eyes.

"I'll catch you later, Josie." Jade waves as she walks off and Josie pouts.

"You think Penelope scared her off?"

"Oh absolutely" Lizzie scoffs and Hope agrees, "No doubt."

"Thanks for the support" Josie sighs and sits back in a chair.

-

"So why don't you explain that again, because I'm still not sure I understand the stupidity of what you two did." Damon squints at the girls from across the desk, assuming his role as a stern father.

"Yeah, I don't quite understand how this happened." Alaric agrees, looking to Damon and fist-bumping him.

"Did you two just fist bump?" Stephanie scoffs, and Penelope is working overtime to hold in a round of laughter at this whole situation next to her.

"Sure did. Now it's time Alaric and I get to the part about your punishment and schoolwork." he smirks and Penelope and Stephanie sink into their chairs, no longer entertained. Damon may be pretty chill when it comes to parenting tactics, but he doesn't mess around over broken rules, and considering they both got kicked out of their prestigious boarding school for this particular rule break, Damon isn't happy.

Of course, that didn't stop him from teasing them mercilessly about the whole situation on the way there between taking care of them.

"Do you seriously want us to explain it again?" Penelope asks and both Alaric and Damon answer "yes" right away.

"Fine" she rolls her eyes and shoots a look at Stephanie again, "We already told you we were at a bar...or the school did. Whatever...Anyway, the town has tons of supernaturals around, but there are only witches at our school and we never ran into any vampires around there, so we didn't expect to run into any. We think they might've spiked our drinks or maybe even compelled us or something, because we could barely remember anything when we woke up in the back room of the bar. When we woke up from having our necks snapped, they made us feed and that's that." Penelope claps her hands together with a satisfied look on her face.

"Actually, you forgot the part where Professor McConnell called us an abomination" Stephanie pipes in, "Thanks, Steph I forgot that part."

Damon drums his fingers against the table, pursing his lips in confusion, "What I don't get is why they just let you go. Why did they want to turn you?"

"We don't know either. Once we were turned they basically kicked us out the front door and told us to fuck off." Stephanie shrugs.

"Please, please stop dropping F-bombs in front of me." Damon pinches the bridge of his nose with a huff, "And please tell me you didn't ask them to turn you. Cause I'll kill you both myself." Damon runs his hands through his hair, he really should've considered how much his child might be like him.

"We didn't I swear. I never wanted to be a lousy vamp but here we are." Penelope puts her hands up like it isn't her fault, which, for once it wasn't.

"Hey, being a vampire isn't that bad." Alaric defends and Damon agrees, "Yeah. Even if I'm not happy about it, you'll live forever..."

Stephanie crosses her arms, "We already had 'superpowers', we're witches. Now could we get on with this already?"

"If you insist" Damon turns to Alaric, who shuffles papers around and passes them class schedules. "Here are your classes and your room number. Caroline and Elena are on their way and they'll be here tomorrow." Stephanie groans, her Mom is going to be even worse than her Dad. Damon continues, "And here's the consequences, my favorite...you both have to volunteer and attend all school events, plus babysit the little ones when Alaric or Emma says to."

"For how long?" Stephanie leans forward, and so does Damon, except he has a smirk spreading across his face, "The rest of the year." Stephanie falls back with a pout, and Penelope realizes something, "Wait, does the twins' outrageous birthday thing count as a school event?"

"Sure does" Damon winks and Penelope grumbles, "Great, now I'm a vampire in hell."

"I was actually a vampire in hell once, and it was a lot worse than a little Community service. But you can go get your little tour now, me and Alaric are gonna get drunk." Damon raises his eyebrows and Alaric turns to him, "You can't just tell students we're getting drunk Damon!"

"They're my kids, they won't snitch. Now where do you keep the Bourbon in here? God knows I need some." Damon starts rifling through the cabinets until he finds his hiding spot.

"This sucks. I was gonna go to the birthday thing to annoy Lizzie, but now I have to as a fucking volunteer." Penelope complains as they lug their things up the stairs, checking the schedule to see where their room is. Oh god. Penelope stops in her tracks when she sees the room number.

"What?" Stephanie stops and looks over her shoulder, "Dude, what?"

"Our room...it's right next door to Josie and Lizzie's." Penelope scoffs and tries not to show how much this freaks her out, but it really, really freaks her out. She obviously wasn't planning on coming back here anytime soon; she moved on from Josie, or at least she moved on with the sex part, the feelings lingered longer than she'd be willing to admit. But here she is back at the Salvatore school, so she might as well play the part everyone is expecting her to.

"Neighbors with your ex, huh...this might be more fun than I thought. And I actually like those two, so looks like you'll have to be buds." Stephanie suddenly starts to laugh and Penelope shoves her.

"Please", she rolls her eyes, "it'll just be a little awkward...but think of all the fun I could have annoying them. And hey, I liked them both too. Mostly Josie, but you know." And Penelope's worries are gone with thoughts of the many ways she can irritate Lizzie Saltzman daily.

-

Josie corners Penelope coming out of the kitchen later. Penelope is admittedly flustered, she didn't have time to really look at Josie when she first got here- she thinks she might be taller? her hair is definitely longer, her cute cheeks aren't as puffy as before, and her jaw seems sharper. She looks beautiful, really, and Penelope is still stunned at her looks when Josie moves to block her exit.

"Why are you here, seriously?"

"To wish you a happy birthday, obviously" she smiles cheerily and Josie scoffs.

"Yeah, you expect me to believe that?"

"You expect me to believe you didn't miss me?" Penelope shoots back with a glint in her eyes.

"You can't come to the party." Josie finds herself blurting out lamely and Penelope nods with an empty chuckle, kind of irritated that they're already back to this, "Because Lizzie couldn't handle me taking the attention off of her, right?"

"Why can't you just answer my question?!"

Penelope smirks, "I hate to break it to you, JoJo, but I'll be there. Headmaster's orders." she shrugs and tried to pass Josie, but she pushes her back.

"What the hell do you mean? My dad told you to?" Josie actually looks mad, and Penelope finds herself getting worked up too, "Why are you so mad that I would be there? You really hate me that much?" That last part spills out of her before she can think it through and she regrets asking it even before Josie answers.

Josie really hates when Penelope goes from arguing with her to quieting down and disarming her with questions like this. And yeah, she really does hate her that much, it broke her when Penelope just left her and never reached out again after dropping the bomb of the Merge on her.

"Yeah, I do hate you that much." Josie practically spits the words at her, and Penelope has to stop herself from visibly flinching. So this is the game they're playing- if Josie claims to hate her, she'll be hateable.

"Well thanks for reminding me of that." she snaps, "But first I want to make sure...are you sure you hate me and it isn't Lizzie convincing you that you do?" Penelope pouts, sarcasm dripping from her tone. She walks off when she sees the reaction on Josie's face, the wheels turning in her head as she tries to come up with something to shoot back at Penelope before she gets away.

She doesn't expect Josie to walk with her when she goes, "It isn't like that anymore." she insists, "I'll believe it when I see it, JoJo."

Josie has an angry little pout on her face, and Penelope is satisfied having caused it.

"Why are you walking to my room?" Josie mumbles grouchily when they make the same turn.

Penelope stops at her own door with a smirk, "Oh babe, you didn't hear? We're neighbors." she pushes her door open and chuckles at Josie's shocked face as she closes it on her.

"Are you already harassing Josie? We didn't get to talk about her on the way here." Stephanie is sprawled out on her bed and rolls over to face Penelope.

Penelope jumps on to her own bed, "Nothing to talk about. She hates me, we'll have our fun little bitch fights and that's that."

"Did you do that a lot before you left here?"

"Not really, I was actually nice to her before she left. I was trying to get her to convince me to stay, and she convinced me to go instead." Penelope shrugs, "What are you thinking about this vamp thing?"

"Don't know. I guess we'll see...my jaw still hurts and all I can think about is blood."

"Same" Penelope grumbles, "It's gross, I downed like five blood bags in the kitchen earlier."

The next morning comes quick, Penelope and Stephanie are awoken by Damon knocking loudly on their door bright and early.

"Rise and shine! Caroline and Mom are here and they have your daylight rings!" He opens the shades and claps his hands loudly while the girls grumble and try to hide from the morning light. "Get up and come downstairs, Caroline will be your little vamp teacher." Damon leaves the door open behind him and Penelope climbs out of bed, "Dude. Your mom is gonna kill us." she wipes at her eyes and Stephanie laughs, "I know, but a least now we can out run her."

"Why the HELL do we have to be woken up this early!" Lizzie yells at them as they pass her in the hall and Penelope chuckles just looking at her in her bright yellow pajama set, "Sorry, not sorry. But I hear Mommy dearest has finally made her return to Salvatore, so cheer up." she smiles at Lizzie, who just rolls her eyes and mumbles something about Satan. Penelope walks down the stairs, catching a look at Josie, who's still in her bed behind Lizzie.

"Sorry we woke you up. It was my Dad, we'll see you later!" Stephanie says in a rush as she follows Penelope down the stairs.

Lizzie turns back to Josie, who's still curled up in her bed and pretending she can go back to sleep. "Why is everyone coming back here? Why is Mom here? We have to go figure this out, Jo." Lizzie rushes to get changed and Josie rolls over with a sigh, "How about you go, and let me know what happens?" she mumbles into her pillow.

"Nope, come on." Lizzie throws clothes at her and pulls her blankets off. Josie looks up at Lizzie at the edge of her bed with a scowl, "Aren't you a little curious as to why the whole Salvatore family plus Penelope is back?" she raises her eyebrows expectantly and Josie sighs.

"Fine. I'm a little curious. Wait, did you say Mom is here??" Josie gets up and changes quickly due to Lizzie's impatience.

"There are my girls" Elena stands with a smirk at the bottom of the stairs and pulls them both into a motherly embrace. "Hi Mom" Stephanie mumbles, "Hi" Penelope says into Elena's shoulder, her voice mumbled. Elena pulls away and pats both of their cheeks, "I'm being nice because I'm happy to see you both, but I am still mad." she says and Penelope and Stephanie nod, "Oh, we know."

"Hi Aunt Caroline" Stephanie smiles and goes to hug her Aunt while Penelope stands with Elena. They hug and share their hellos and Caroline turns to Penelope, "Hi Penelope" she smiles teasingly and opens her arms for a hug that Penelope reluctantly returns. At first when Penelope showed up to the Salvatore's for Christmas and saw Caroline, it was a little awkward; but after they got past the initial 'I dated your daughter and now we're broken up and she hates me' issue, they had a lot in common and got along fast.

"So I hear you two did something stupid again." she jokes and Penelope and Stephanie look at her guiltily- Caroline and Elena always knew how to discipline them in ways that actually made them feel bad.

"Do Josie and Lizzie know I'm here?" Caroline looks to them and Stephanie chuckles, "Yeah Penelope took care of that."

"And I'm sure she did it so nicely." Caroline rolls her eyes, "Come on, put these on and we'll go out back." Caroline hands them their rings and starts to walk outside. Stephanie looks to her Mom, who just pats her back and sends her off, "We'll talk later."

Penelope and Caroline are halfway to the woods and Stephanie sprints over to catch up, enjoying the perks of her vampire speed when she tackles Penelope to the ground. "What the hell, dude!" Penelope gets up and pushes her over with her own strength while Caroline looks on unimpressed, starting to regret agreeing to help them.

Lizzie and Josie sit at breakfast alone, while Lizzie looks around skeptically the entire time, "It feels like everyone is hiding from us." she pouts and Josie shakes her head, "They aren't. They're probably here for a reason, Lizzie, just eat your breakfast." Josie is already tired of Lizzie's complaining, and she's just trying to enjoy her breakfast before her day is inevitably ruined by whatever reason her Mom and all her friends are back in Mystic Falls for. Probably some insane monster or something.

"Dad!" Lizzie screeches across the cafeteria and Josie flinches, covering her ears. "God, you could've just gotten up and talked to him like a normal person."

"I think we've established I'm not a normal person." Lizzie pulls a face and Josie sighs as her Dad walks over. "What's going on, girls?" Alaric sits next to Josie and pats her back, probably sensing her irritation with Lizzie already.

"Why don't you tell us, Daddy? Penelope is back, apparently Mom is here, the whole Salvatore clan is showing up, I mean-"

"Yeah you probably shouldn't have come over here." Josie mumbles to her Dad while Lizzie rambles on, "Thanks for the warning." he whispers back and Josie hides her laugh behind her coffee cup.

"Alright Liz, slow it down. There's some things I can't tell you yet, but Mom is back and she'll be around soon, okay? Plus she's staying for a while!" Alaric tries and Lizzie sighs with a pout.

"Fine, I guess that will do for now. But are Penelope and Stephanie back for good?" she asks and Alaric nods, "Yes, and I believe Damon and Elena are planning to move back to Mystic Falls."

Josie is able to hide the displeasure on her face, but she isn't exactly happy to hear that. Of course right when she starts things with Jade her crazy ex is going to show up and probably run her out of town, plus how on earth did she manage to worm her way into the Salvatore family? Now that she thinks about it, she could see her getting along with Damon actually, but it still sets her off. Why is she back if she was so sure about leaving??

"Jo? Josie!" Lizzie snaps her out of it and she looks to her sister, "Come on, let's go see if Hope knows why she's here." she stands and looks at Josie expectantly, "Earth to Josie?? Are you falling asleep sitting down or something?"

"Ah, classic Lizzie, yelling at Josie before she can even finish her breakfast." a voice cuts in and Josie's head drops into her hands. She can't have a moment of peace this morning, can she?

"Shut up Satan!" Lizzie tells and Josie looks off with a sigh, unexpectedly seeing her Mom entering the building.

"Mom! Where have you been?" Josie gets up running, Caroline catching her in a hug easily.

"Just helping out with a few things. Lizzie and Penelope already going at it?" Caroline chuckles and pats Josie's back, "Must be rough for you." she looks to Josie with a sympathetic look in her eye. Her mother always knew her best, cared about her more than Lizzie could because of all of her unavoidable self-interests, and more than her father could because he was always so goddamn 'busy'. Of course, Caroline was apparently always busy with the merge too, and she didn't get here nearly as much as Josie needs her.

"Yeah no kidding" Josie mumbles, watching as Penelope and Lizzie shoot insults back and forth, Lizzie with a frustrated look on her face, and Penelope with that annoying smirk, looking completely unbothered, totally enjoying herself.

Stephanie stomps inside then, covered in mud and Josie looks to her in shock. "What happened to you??"

"Penelope" Stephanie and her Mom say at the same time and Josie's eyebrows bunch together in confusion. Josie looks back to Penelope, who stopped bickering with Lizzie and went to get food for herself, noting that she is coated in some mud too.

"You were just with Penelope? Before you even saw me and Lizzie?" Josie looks to her Mom, who is suddenly feeling guilty about what she's been doing now that she sees the look on her daughter's face.

"It's a long story, sweetie. You'll know soon eno-"

"Right, right, you can't tell me yet." Josie scoffs and turns up the stairs.

Josie passes Hope on her way to her room, and the girl stops her, "Hey, you okay?" she asks and looks worried. Josie is grateful that she and Hope had gotten close over the past year, although she still can't understand the tribrid's massive crush on her sister. "Not really." Josie pouts and Hope looks at her sideways, "Why, what's up?"

"I don't really feel like talking about it, but I'm sure Lizzie does and she's been looking for you, so why don't you have her catch you up?" Josie says and passes Hope to get back to her room.

Josie pouts stubbornly to herself for as long as she can before she's hungry since her breakfast was so rudely interrupted so many times. She takes the long way to the kitchen hoping she can avoid everyone but of course when she gets there she spots Penelope with her back to her, facing the fridge. She opts to ignore Penelope until she sees it's a blood bag in her hands.

"Uh, what the fuck?" Josie steps over and Penelope wipes the blood from her lip before she looks to Josie. The veins around her eyes disappear and Josie is pretty much gobsmacked.

"Oops" she mumbles, "didn't see you there."

"You're...a vampire?" Josie drops her yogurt she had just grabbed from the fridge and quickly bends down to pick it up while Penelope inches closer.

"No, I like the taste of human blood." Penelope rolls her eyes and Josie just ignores her to turn back to the cabinet to scrounge through Lizzie's snacks. When she closes the cabinet empty-handed, Penelope is standing right there. "A heretic, if you will." Penelope smirks, licking the blood off her finger.

"How?"

Penelope shrugs and tosses the bag away, "Long story."

"Is that why my Mom is here? And Damon and Elena?"

"Smart girl."

Josie has come to ignoring whatever Penelope says that doesn't answer her questions so she just pushes on, "How did you get so close to Stephanie?"

"I told you, we went to the same school and just got to be good friends. Y'know we're more alike than you would think." Penelope pokes Josie's nose, and she leans away. Penelope just chuckles, clearly amused at Josie's annoyance.

"She's a vampire too? That's why you're here?"

"Ah, Josette I knew you'd get it!" Penelope cheers and hops up on the counter to look at Josie.

"You are so obnoxious." Josie sighs and grabs a spoon for herself, "So I've been told" Penelope swings her legs like a child, only making her more annoying to Josie.

"Goodbye you crazy heretic- or is it lunatic...." Josie forms a smirk of her own and Penelope actually laughs, "That was good, Josie. Truly, I'm impressed!" Penelope puts her hand over her heart in mockery and Josie can't help but roll her eyes as she walks off to find Lizzie and Hope.

She finds them sitting at the same table she left Lizzie at, only a few inches between them. As Josie walks over Hope scoots closer to Lizzie and she can't help but let out a laugh under her breath. Neither of them could just get it together and make a move already. "You guys will not believe the run in I had with she who shall not be named." Josie says as she sits across from them, and Lizzie groans, "Gross. What happened?"

"She's a vampire. Like, no joke I caught her drinking blood in the kitchen. Stephanie is too." she reveals and Hope's eyebrows raise astronomically high.

"No!" Lizzie gasps and Josie nods, finally taking a bite of her yogurt.

"So that's why everyone's back then." Lizzie hums and Josie nods, "Weird." Hope mumbles eventually, "That's probably why Damon was so pissed- well as pissed as Damon could be."

Hope and Lizzie contemplate in silence while Josie peacefully enjoys her snack. "Hey!" A voice calls from the door and everyone looks up, "It's my favorite witches!" and its Aunt Bonnie, rushing over to greet them both. "Aunt Bonnie!" Josie practically squeals and gets up to hug her, and then her Aunt rounds the table to greet Lizzie and Hope with hugs too. She sits next to Josie, "Where is everyone?"

"Hell if we know" Lizzie grumbles and Bonnie chuckles, "Huh. Well it isn't everyday all my nieces and friends are in the same place, so I thought I'd join the party."

Josie loves her Aunt Bonnie; she visits the school all the time between trips and teaches her spells her parents wouldn't like, and they pretty much get along and agree about everything. They're on the same wavelength really, and Josie always appreciated having her by her side while everyone else was needed to help Lizzie.

They are all eager to catch up, Josie telling her Aunt everything she knows about the situation going on, and catching her up on what she missed in the past few months or wasn't told on the phone. Minutes later, they're interrupted by Damon, "Well if it isn't Bonnie Bennett, ya miss me Bon-Bon?" he walks over with a silly smirk and Bonnie gets up to hug him, greeting him by jumping into his outstretched arms, and hugging Elena, who's behind him, with the same energy.

Damon stalks over to the table later, "And I didn't get to greet the wonder twins or the great Hope Mikaelson properly yesterday because of the other two idiots, so greetings ladies!" He grabs Josie by the shoulders and shakes her body like he used to when they were little. Josie laughs along with him, suddenly realizing that it's nice to have her extended 'family' around even if the cost is Penelope Park's presence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!!
> 
> I love reading comments and knowing what you think so pls leave any thoughts you have :))))


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Damon and Elena move back to Mystic Falls, and Stephanie and Penelope spend some time in Elena's old house. There's a party at the Old Mill that stirs some things up, and Stephanie tells Josie something that shocks her.

Penelope Park had never been scolded by an angry parent before. Her parents didn't ever care to much about what she did, her older brother's were their golden children, and as the youngest she was quickly labeled the disappointment who acted out for attention. Which wasn't too far of from the truth, but could you blame a thirteen year-old who just wanted her parents to care about her? Anyway, Penelope had never had a proper scolding, but hats off to Elena, who was doing a damn good job at yelling at Stephanie and herself for their actions.

"...and I love you both, but you should not have, one, gone to a bar at nineteen, or two, lie about your actions to the school! I mean did you think they couldn't tell you were vampires? Seriously, all the had to do was open the blinds and it was obvious." Elena paces in front of them as she rants, looking to where they're both sitting on the couch to make sure they're listening.

"So just wait out the punishments, and never, ever turn your humanity off. EVER. And it will be fine, do you promise me you won't?" She stops and looks at them with her arms crossed and a stern look on her face, "We promise" they both say as quickly as they can and she smiles, "Good. Now let's go."

It feels a little weird to be in Elena's childhood home- somehow Damon and Elena managed to buy it back from the people who rebuilt it so they could stay in Mystic Falls and keep an eye on them. Elena is practically bouncing with excitement to show them the house while Damon cooks their dinner and sings his heart out in the kitchen. Every time a moment like this happens Penelope is startled by the sense of familial inclusion she feels. Her parents never cared enough to yell at her like Elena did, or drag her across the world for her own good like Damon. When she turned out to be a witch, her parents happily sent her off and accepted the compulsion that let them forget her. The craziest part about it all is that it was her connection she has to her new 'family' just made sense since the first time she came home with Stephanie over break, and they got along like she really was their daughter. 

After dinner is over, they linger and Elena tells them endless stories of what went down in this house, even the crazy ones that Damon caused; by now he just rolls his eyes and blames it on jealousy, vampirism, or both, and by the time they have to leave to get back to the school Damon has given them Stefan's journals. 

"Read these. Learn from them, and be careful, you understand?" They nod as he pushes the books into their hands, and walk out to the car so Damon can drive them back to school.

"I already read most of these" Penelope shrugs from the backseat and Stephanie turns to her, "These are probably the classified ones. Bad stuff goin on in here." she explains and flips through one herself.

Damon drives ridiculously fast, distracting them with loud music. Penelope had grown used to talk radio and sitting in the way-back as she grew up, pretty much the opposite of Damon driving his vintage Mustang at full speed while listening to the Rolling Stones. While it embarrassed Stephanie, Penelope enjoyed it and sang along with him.

"Later losers" Damon yells as they get out of the car, "Tell Ric I say hey!"

Stephanie and Penelope laugh as they climb the steps into school and hear Damon speeding off. Penelope knocks loudly on the door until someone opens it and Stephanie just rolls her eyes at how impatient she is. 

Josie opens the door with a scowl, "God of course it's you, you couldn't wait thirty seconds for me to get to the door?! I should just let Stephanie in and leave you out here in the cold." she says and Penelope just laughs, pushing Josie backwards so she can walk in. "Hello to you too JoJo, thank you for getting the door for me, I am forever indebted to you." she says sarcastically and bows while Josie rolls her eyes. 

"Hi Stephanie" Josie ignores Penelope, which only spurs her on. She rocks on her heels as Stephanie and Josie exchange a little cousin convo- as Penelope calls it, and waits until Stephanie's done to head out to the party out back. Penelope stares kind of dumbly at Josie while she waits, unable to look away, and when Josie shoots a glare at her she pulls a face. Stephanie understands the situation between Penelope and Josie because Penelope explained it all to her, but that doesn't stop her from greeting Josie any chance she gets just to annoy Penelope and push the two together. Her and Lizzie really should discuss their meddling together.

"Can we go get drunk now" Penelope groans in interruption and Josie turns to her with the ever-irritated look she has saved just for Penelope, "Always so pleasant, Penelope" she smiles bitterly and Penelope returns the little smirk, "Bite me" she says and Josie crosses her arms, prepared to respond again until Stephanie stops them and pushes Penelope toward the backdoor. 

"Bye Josie, we'll see you later." she calls out as they walk back to the Old Mill. 

Stephanie easily garnered attention of the students, whether it be because of her name or her newfound powers, she really didn't care. Penelope had always had that attention, but now that she was a powerful witch and vampire she had even more 'followers' than before. Penelope liked the attention where Stephanie tolerated it, but it admittedly made parties fun. As soon as they made it out to the Old Mill, their new group of friends made their way over. 

"Yo Peez, you gotta come try this drink I mixed up, I even put some blood in it this time!" MG bounds over, clearly intoxicated despite the tolerance he's supposed to have as a vampire. Leave it to MG to not be able to hold his liquor despite his powers.

"Fine, but it better not taste like shit like the last one." Penelope jokes and pulls Stephanie along behind her and MG toward the drink table. 

"Let me at least to a shot before I have to try whatever's in that" Stephanie pipes up and grabs a bottle of vodka. Penelope cringes; vodka isn't her liquor of choice, but she takes a sip when Stephanie offers because she knows whatever MG created is going to taste like battery acid.

MG holds up his drink, all excited for Penelope to try it and she finally takes a sip. It tastes like...blood, way too much of whatever booze he put in it, and Coke, but Penelope pretends she likes it for his sake. "Good! Better than the last one!" she smiles at him and he cheers, taking a generous sip of it for himself. Stephanie chuckles under her breath, "Terrible, huh?" 

Penelope cringes as soon as MG turns away, "Oh probably one of the worst drinks I've ever had, but look at his face." MG is dancing around with some girl, and they both laugh at his drunken expense. Penelope glances around the crowd, looking for any kind of familiar face and landing on someone already staring at her. She sips her drink and winks at the girl across the room, watching her face flush with a smirk. 

Stephanie is already entertaining some wolf next to her, and Penelope nudges her, "Dibs on the room" and Stephanie shrugs, "What makes you think I even need a room?" she jokes and Penelope fake-gags. "I'd rather not think about it, actually."

"The feeling is mutual. You have two hours with the room, after that I'll just come in anyway." her best friend points at her seriously and she nods, "Okay, okay. You have fun with this one." she winks and Stephanie raises her eyebrow back. 

Penelope makes her way over to the brunette she caught looking at her earlier, who still has her eyes on her now. She's shameless in checking this girl out and Penelope knows it's working when she looks back up to meet her eyes and the girl quickly looks the other way, biting back a smile. 

"Penelope Park" she sticks her hand out and the girl to introduce herself, another one of her cocky moves. Obviously this girl knows who she is, but Penelope has no idea what her name is. "I know who you are" the girl giggles but takes hold of her hand, her touch gentle. "I'm Maddie" she says, her voice quiet. Penelope edges closer to her, sliding her fingers down the girl's arm teasingly. 

"You need a new drink?" Penelope flicks Maddie's empty cup and now it's her turn to flirt, "If you think I'll need another." she raises her eyebrows flirtatiously and Penelope laughs, leaning further into her space, "I don't think you will." she whispers with her lips practically on Maddie's now, waiting for her to close the gap between them for her. 

Josie walks in the party with Jade after finally convincing the girl to join her. She finds Hope and Lizzie sitting on the couch easily, and Jade offers to get them drinks with a gentle hand on her back as she sits with them. 

"I see you've finally convinced her to come out to a party with you instead of staying in and I don't know, braiding hair...?" Lizzie jokes and Hope hides her laugh behind her drink. "Ha Ha Lizzie. Yes I finally did and-" Josie's voice drops off as her eyes fall on Penelope pushing yet another girl up against the wall. 

Lizzie turns to see where she's looking and scowls in disgust, "Um, you better wipe that jealous look off your face before your little girlfriend comes back over." she warns and Josie looks back to her sister, "I am not jealous! I just-" she stops when she feels Jade's hand fall on her back and pass her a drink. She presses a kiss to Josie's cheek and Josie looks up at her with a small smile. 

Hope and Lizzie look at each other with a mutual look of doubt. Josie has been on and off with plenty of girls in Penelope's absence; Finch, Maya, and now Jade. Even a brief fling with Landon and a few kisses with Rafael- neither of them really worked out because Josie got bored and quickly realized she doesn't like boys that much in the first place. She didn't know that Finch and Maya used to date, but that didn't stop her from almost-dating both of them; she has been quite the womanizer for the past year, probably borrowing Penelope's tactics to do so. Even carelessly messing around with brothers, exes, and showing humans her magic. And apparently she was a massive flirt, more than she even realized herself until she getting the attention from everyone she wanted it from, and sneaking out of school- something she never does- to meet girls in the backyard by the pool.

Meanwhile Josie giggles and leans in to press a kiss to Jade's smile, making Lizzie and Hope quickly get up before they have to watch Josie make out with another girl in front of them. 

"Damn Josie has serious game." Hope says as she pours Lizzie and herself new drinks. 

"I know" Lizzie chugs nearly half of her drink and sets it back down for Hope to fill up again, "It's kind of ridiculous actually, she's tried to date three people, but who knows who else she's banged in the meantime. Or how many." Lizzie cringes at the thought.

Hope almost spits out her drink, "God you are always so straight forward." she says when she catches her breath and Lizzie shrugs, "Hardly straight, but certainly forward." she winks at Hope and turns back to the party, keeping an eye on Josie who might as well be stripping for everyone with the show she's putting on. Hope is once again catching her breath after Lizzie's comment, but once she does she's cringing when she sees Penelope feeling up some rando in the corner. 

"Do you think they're both competing to keep the other jealous?" Hope says and Lizzie nods, "Maybe not on purpose, but they're both jealous and neither of them like the person they're with. I think Josie likes Jade, just not a lot." Hope says, "...God that sounds really bad when I say it out loud."

"Yeah, sounds really bad. But at least you aren't the one doing it." Lizzie nods to Josie, who still hasn't detached from Jade to even take a sip of her drink.

-

Stephanie knocks on her door obnoxiously when she gets back just in case there's a repeat of last time, and continues until Penelope calls out from the other side "I have clothes on!! Jeez." she yells and Stephanie opens the door with a chuckle, "What? What's her name didn't want to come back?"

"Oh she did" Penelope pipes up from behind her book, "turns out I don't need a room either." she pulls the book back down and Stephanie shivers, "Good for you I guess, but I don't need the details."

Penelope chuckles from behind her book and Stephanie gets ready for bed herself, "How did wolf boy turn out?" Penelope asks and Stephanie shrugs as she tugs a new t-shirt over her head. "Hot, bad kisser."

"That's the worst. Thank god we're both hot and fantastic kissers." Penelope jokes, but Stephanie knows she's serious. "With good genes" Stephanie adds with a laugh, looking at herself in the mirror.

"You put on quite the show tonight." Lizzie says as she starts her lengthy bedtime routine, and Josie shoots her a confused look, "What do you mean I put on a show?"

"I mean one second you're saying you aren't jealous about Penelope getting it on in the middle of the party and the next you're trying to do the same thing to Jade." Lizzie spins in her chair and Josie sits up with her arms crossed, "What are you trying to say, Lizzie?"

Lizzie sighs and treads lightly; it's unusual for her to call Josie out on her shit, even more unusual for her sister to let herself get angry and fight back. 

"I'm not trying to say anything, just that it was a little suspicious."

Josie flops back on her bed, "What, now I can't kiss a girl I like because Penelope's there?"

"It's not really about Penelope, it's just- do you like the girl or do you like kissing her?" Lizzie swivels back around to look at herself in the mirror and Josie frowns, "Are you suggesting I'm some kind of player, Lizzie? Because that's rich coming from you." Josie snaps back and Lizzie is on her feet in seconds. 

"And what does that mean?"

"It means, you led MG, Raf, even Hope on all in the same year. Don't you get tired of that?" Josie sits up in bed again and Lizzie gasps.

The room starts to shake and Lizzie is definitely the cause for it. In seconds, the've both reached out and touched the wall, siphoning enough power to throw something at each other. Josie sends a vase in Lizzie's direction, and Lizzie directs a water bottle over Josie's head, pouring water all over her and her bed. Josie misses, and the vase shatters on the wall, then she screeches because of the water on her head. "What the fuck Lizzie!" she siphons more and all of her books going flying off her desk toward Lizzie and narrowly miss her head.

"You should really work on your aim, Jo." Lizzie teases, looking at Josie who has water dripping down her face.

Josie gets up and pushes Lizzie against her desk, making even more of a ruckus than they already have as half of Lizzie's things fall to the ground. Lizzie glares up at her from the floor while Josie dries her hair off with the nearest towel.

Their door shoots open and Penelope and Stephanie are on their doorstep looking in.

"Lovely neighbors, we know we woke you up this morning but we hope you won't bring the one wall that separates us down." Penelope teases with crossed arms and that annoying smirk on her face. 

Josie tosses her towel at Penelope, who catches it easily. 

"I'm surprised you’re even back from your nightly hook-up, Penelope." 

"Oh JoJo, if you want a turn you don't have to be shy." Penelope winks and Josie rips the towel from her hands.

"Anywayyy, I just wanted to make sure everything was okay." Stephanie says, and it's the genuine concern that makes Lizzie answer.

"Thanks, cousin, but it's just a sisterly fight. No worries." she explains and Penelope peeks around the door, spotting the mess on the desk and books and glass strewn across the floor. 

"Looks super friendly" she observes and Josie looks at her sideways, "Feel free to clean it up if you're so concerned."

"Concerned, entertained...those are the same right?" Penelope drawls and smirks when she sees Josie's eye roll. "I have to be invited in anyway." 

Lizzie pipes up with a smirk, "Then you never will be. That's probably the only benefit of your vampirism." Penelope shrugs and mumbles a spell that sends Lizzie off her stool. 

"Magic still works, asshole." Penelope laughs at Lizzie's exasperated face. "You can come in, Stephanie." Lizzie says in challenge and Stephanie steps in and actually starts to clean, which makes her friendship with Penelope that much more confusing. Penelope notices Josie pulling the sheets off her bed in frustration, and can only assume it's Lizzie's fault. She hangs by the door and observes the familial exchange between the three of them, impressed that Josie can manage to avoid speaking to Lizzie for an entire conversation...maybe things have changed. 

The next morning, Josie takes far too much pleasure in watching Penelope sleepily flirt with a new girl and be interrupted by Maddie in the middle of feeding the girl a line. She almost laughs until she remembers Jade is sitting right next to her. Jade presses a lengthy kiss to her cheek as she leaves, and Josie catches Penelope's narrowed gaze following her as she leaves the room.

"Josie...Josie, are you even listening?" Lizzie calls from across the table, and when she doesn't get a response she tosses a balled up napkin at her. Hope scoffs, "you know she isn't."

"Huh?" Josie finally re-joins the conversation and looks back to Lizzie, removing her fixed gaze from Penelope. "The least you could do is wait a minute after Jade leaves before you blatantly stare at your nasty ex." Lizzie says and Josie rolls her eyes. "Nobody asked for your opinion, Lizzie. I definitely didn't." 

"I don't care if you asked or not, Josie. You're being reckless and Jade isn't stupid." Lizzie states and gets up before Josie can answer. 

"Do you agree with her?" Josie looks to Hope, who sips her coffee and shrugs, "I don't know, Jo. There is something weird about you and Penelope, but it isn't just because you keep staring at her." Josie makes a sound of disagreement, "I hate her."

Hope scoffs, "Okay Josie, you don't need to convince me you don't like her with some outrageous lie."

-

Josie is thankful that Jade's room is closer to the kitchen than hers, her late night, post-sex cravings are easier relieved when she can food from the kitchen without doing the walk of shame down the entirety of the witches quarters. 

The last thing she expects to see when she enters the kitchen for a her Ben and Jerry's hidden in the freezer is Penelope feeding on some witch she has pushed up against the counter. 

"Penelope!" she yells, unable to distract her in her state. She quickly walks over to her, whispering a spell that shocks Penelope's skin and causes her to jump away from the poor witch. "Always have to ruin the fun, don't you. I didn't remember you being such a prude." Penelope looks pissed and wipes the blood from her lips. 

"Oh yeah Penelope, because breaking the rules and being on the verge of killing someone is so fun." Josie whispers harshly and siphons magic from the counter to heal the girl's bite mark from Penelope.

"I was gonna heal that." Penelope says from behind her and Josie just ignores her, "Get out of here" she says to the girl and she leaves quickly. "I think you've done enough." Josie says and Penelope pulls out a chair to sit on, watching Josie. 

"Josie I was going to stop." Penelope tries, but Josie is not convinced. "You've been a vampire for what, a month? You don't have enough control, and you shouldn't have been feeding on anyone. Don't be stupid."

"Don't act like you care."

"I don't care, Penelope! I just know that you're a bitch, and I'd hate to see you be a murderer, too." Josie digs through the freezer but Penelope is suddenly in front of her and turning her so they're face to face- stupid new vampire powers. Her back is pressed up against the cabinet next to the fridge, her breath caught in her throat, and Penelope is leaning in slowly to whisper into her ear, "I know you do care, JoJo." Josie shoves her back, but she doesn't budge, "Don't think I don’t see you looking at me." Penelope says it like it's a fact, tracing Josie's jaw, and something about that makes Josie even more angry. 

She sighs in frustration, hating Penelope's smirk. "What are you gonna do, bite me too?" Josie taunts and Penelope laughs in a way that makes her feel stupid. "I know you're a little kinky JoJo, but I wouldn't do it if you didn't ask." Penelope leans back, satisfied with herself, and Josie flushes against her will. "Plus...it looks like someone else took care of that." she whispers and reaches out to trace the fresh marks on Josie's neck, and then she's gone with her speed before Josie can say anything back.

Josie struggles to get her breath back, still leaning against the wall for support after Penelope was so close to her. She's hates that Penelope still has so much control over her- and she hates that she can tease her over Jade so easily, like it's just some kind of joke. And that's when she remembers, she left to get ice cream ten minutes ago, and Jade is probably wondering were the hell she is. She scrambles to get the ice cream from the fridge and practically flies back to Jade's room. 

"Hey, JJ. Where were ya?" Jade's smile is so beautiful that Josie lies, "Took me a while to find it." she smiles and closes the door behind her, bounding back over to join Jade in bed. Her girlfriend, or maybe more like her long term hookup buddy, makes quick work of her shirt, and kisses her just as fast. Josie can't help but smile into the kiss, climbing on top of Jade and giggling when she rolls them over kisses down her body. 

Josie pulls her back up, and recklessly, for reasons she can't explain, asks Jade to feed on her, telling her some lie about how she thinks it's hot. She heals the bite mark before anyone sees it, but she feels happy with herself for some reason after Jade feeds on her. It made the girl happy-obviously, because she's a vampire and it's blood. Plus, Jade is an experienced vampire and she never got anywhere close to actually killing Josie, so it's fine. She can break the rules sometimes too.

She runs into Stephanie when she finally leaves Jade's room for a late lunch, and enjoys her company as they eat. 

"So what was the Belgium school like?" she asks and Stephanie shrugs, "It was nice like, education wise I learned a lot...but it was ridiculously strict and all-girls, so it wasn't much fun for me." Josie hums, biting her sandwhich while Stephanie explains.

"So that's why you left?"

"Oh no, we got kicked out as soon as they found out we were vampires. I mean we did have a few strikes before that." she jokes, "Most of the old witch teachers called us abominations of nature before we left." Her cousin giggles over the last part, and Josie realizes how much she looks like her Aunt Elena for a second. She has her Dad's bright blue eyes, and her Mother's smile paired with dark curly hair she inherited from the both of them.

Josie shares the laugh with her, "Well since phoenixes and tribrids go to school here, I think you're safe from being called an abomination again."

Stephanie smiles, "Good, plus I like being around people that aren't my parents, Penelope, or rich and bitchy witches from Europe. Especially when it's my family I get to be around."

"I can't imagine why you'd want to be around Penelope anyway." Josie can't help herself, and it looks like Stephanie saw it coming.

"There was a time you wanted to be around her too, right?" Stephanie teases lightly and Josie takes no offense at her cousin's joking. 

Josie sighs, unable to deny that, yes, she did want to be around Penelope nearly all the time at some point. "I guess you got me." she sighs and Stephanie looks sympathetic, "Josie...don't you dare tell her I said this, but if it makes you feel any better about the whole thing, she was as heartbroken as I've ever seen anyone when she first got to Belgium. She barely spoke to anyone, and was incredibly bitchy to everyone for the first two months she was there."

Josie had not expected to hear that, she didn't think Penelope thought of her all that much after she left. Sure, she said she loved her before she left, but she still left after everything. Penelope was complicated...Josie knows that better than anyone, but she really thought that her ex didn't want anything to do with her, especially after she literally fled the country. If that's not the truth, then she doesn't know what to think anymore.

"I didn't expect that." Josie says honestly and her cousin nods, "I didn't think you did. Anyway, I'll see you around Jo."

It was nice to have Stephanie around, especially because that meant her Mom stuck around too and moved in to her childhood home, which was partially Josie's childhood home too. Her Aunt Bonnie even has a room there now to stop at for times between her traveling. She loves how happy her Dad is now that they're all around, she could tell he was getting more and more stuck in his work, but Damon brought him back by coming around a couple times a week to spy on Stephanie and Penelope and hang out with him. 

Her Mom had been coming around Salvatore a lot more often, sometimes even popping in to teach a class or step in for Alaric, and Josie and Lizzie were ecstatic to have her around more often- but only after they worked out why she didn't come see them before she helped Penelope and Stephanie.

Caroline told them the truth, for once, that she wasn't really recruiting students around the world, but actually trying to find a cure for the Merge. She even told them that she spent time with the Salvatore's where they were living while Stephanie was in Belgium for school, and that she spent Christmas with them and Penelope was there. "I didn't tell you because I thought it would upset you to know I was with Penelope."

Lizzie was obviously upset, but not as upset as Josie, who stomped up the stairs away from her mother. They talked it out, and because Josie was always the forgiving one she let it go. But she was still upset with her mom for lying, and ignored her for the rest of the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think in the comments/kudos! I have a lot more planned for this story and it should end up being around 20 parts :) I love when Penelope and Josie bicker, so trust that it'll go on for a few chapters lol
> 
> thx for reading!


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Penelope, Hope, and Stephanie are a powerful trio, and Penelope finds different ways to annoy Josie all day long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a bit of a filler chapter for now, but next chapter is where it'll start to get angsty ;)

Penelope and Stephanie manage to talk Hope into training with them on one rainy morning, and Hope ends up enjoying their company more than she expected. After Penelope left, they lost touch, and she didn't take it to heart because apparently she had cut ties with everyone but she was wondering what it would be like between them now that she's back. But her worries were over nothing, because Penelope was back to her teasing, friendly self. Her old friend even asks about Landon, who Hope knows she never really liked that much. Of course she tells her they aren't together anymore after the whole Malivore situation, and leaves out the part about Josie and Landon getting together.

After hours of training in the rain, sparring with each other and ending up having to strip off their clothes because the mud and rain piled up, they agree to meet back up for lunch after they clean up. 

Josie and Lizzie are sitting on a couch in the lounge when they're startled by the rowdy group. Lizzie looks up, ready to snap at the annoying noise that distracted her from her spell until her eyes land on a shirtless Hope Mikaelson, and she's stunned into silence. Hope walks over to the two of them after another loud round of high-fives and handshakes, and Lizzie struggles to hide her attraction. 

Josie looks up to see what her sister is so distracted by and her eyes meet Penelope Park, already staring right back at her, clearly not caring that she was caught judging by the smirk that grows across her face. But Josie barely even registers that smirk as her eyes track down to her sports bra clad abs that seem even more defined than Josie is used to seeing them, observing the tattoo spreading across her side that is definitely new. When Josie looks back up her exes exposed body, Penelope shoots her a wink and Josie breathes in sharply, her heart hammering in her chest uncontrollably at the action. 

"Damnit" Josie mumbles, staring at her hands to avoid looking anywhere else. 

"Real smooth, Josie." Lizzie chuckles and Josie glares at her, "Oh yeah? Careful, you might still be drooling from staring at Hope." she shoots back and Lizzie mumbles a "Shut up" while she tries to cover her blush. 

"That's a dangerous bunch." Lizzie speaks up again after a while and Josie easily agrees, "No kidding. It's only a matter of time before the power gets to their heads."

Lizzie laughs, "Yeah well apparently you like the bad girls. You know...prison world, heartbreaker type?"

Josie rolls her eyes, unable to deny that it's anything but the truth. She can't help it if she just so happens to like the 'bad' girls.

"Did Hope say what they were doing?" Josie changes the subject instead of venturing into a conversation about her dating choices with her sister, who definitely has many thoughts on the topic. 

"Apparently training and then meeting for a little vamp lunch party." 

"Sounds nice." Josie says, turning back to her book and ending the conversation there. "Hope looked hot" Lizzie eventually speaks up again and Josie is kind of proud of her for admitting it, "it's about time you went after someone who wasn't a new student." Josie chuckles, "Or a boy, for that matter." she adds as an afterthought.

Penelope wanders over and pries her book from her hands after some amount of time, Josie isn't sure how long it's been, she isn't even sure when Lizzie left because she's been distracted by her book. Her ex is sitting beside her, clutching the book she was just reading in her hand. Penelope has clearly just showered because her hair is wet and unkept, she knows Josie always found that look on her terribly attractive, how it looks darker and shiny when it's wet, and now it's messy like Penelope just ran her hands through it and came downstairs. She's is wearing a simple gray hoodie and still, she looks stunning.

Josie looks at her expectantly, "What?" she says, aggravated with Penelope's interruption.

"I gave you this" Penelope holds the book up and looks to Josie, tapping the cover.

"No you didn't." Josie knows she got this book from the library just last week, and she doesn't know why Penelope would come bother her over a book.

"I'm positive this was in my room when I left, Josie." Penelope's tone is light and Josie is briefly reminded of how much she loved the sound of her voice.

"I got this in the library last week." Josie says, eyebrows raised in challenge.

"Or, did you get it from my room when you stayed there while I was gone...?" Penelope says, not a trace of malice or teasing in her tone, and oh. That's why she came over here for the book, just to tease her because she spent time in her room after she left. She was naive to think Penelope came over to do anything but mock her for her feelings.

"Wha- how did you know that?" Josie says, barely above a whisper, and Penelope looks like she might feel bad for bringing it up. Josie knows she doesn't though, it's like she always said, she does everything on purpose. Penelope inches closer, "I have my sources" she shrugs, "And it is my book."

"It is not" Josie grabs for it again, and Penelope holds it out of her reach with a little smile dancing across her lips. Josie can't stand how entertaining this is for Penelope, it's evident in her satisfied smirk that she's getting her kicks from riling Josie up.

"You wanna bet?" Penelope raises her eyebrow in challenge herself, eyes flashing at Josie.

Josie has taken the bait at this point, not caring about whatever Penelope means by drawing her out anymore, she just wants to be right. "You know what? I do. Because I'm sure I got this at the library, and not from your room."

Penelope smirks, "I'll bet you one...hm." Penelope taps at her chin, "One big fat kiss that this book is mine."

"You're ridiculous" Josie turns away, facing forward and away from Penelope now that she's suggested something so juvenile and teenage boyish.

"...And serious" Penelope chimes, leaning closer. "If you're so sure it isn't mine, you'll agree." and if Josie wasn't so caught up in being right, she would be able to tell by Penelope's all-knowing smirk that she is wrong. Penelope has a tell when she's lying, Josie knows this from all the time she spent reading Penelope easily, eventually learning to look for the twitch in the corner of her lips to know if she's telling the truth.

But she isn't looking for that now, in fact she avoids looking directly at Penelope's lips at all costs in hopes to avoid falling into that trap. She isn't looking so she misses the corner of her lip stay still in calculated confidence because Penelope knows she's right.

So Josie is so sure Penelope is wrong that she agrees, "Fine. And if you lose, you'll agree to not speak to me for a week." Josie looks happy with her offer, thinking she'll win this stupid bet and that she won't have to deal with Penelope for a whole week once she wins.

So imagine her shock when Penelope flips the cover of the book open, and sees 'Penelope Park' written in her loopy handwriting on the inside of the book.

"I guess you owe me a sweet kiss, Josette." Penelope snaps the book shut and moves to get up, "Uh, no" Josie scrambles to pull her back down and Penelope falls back with an easy smile.

"First of all, I'm not done with the stupid book. It's actually good." Josie finally pulls it from Penelope's grip, and Penelope looks keen to see her so worked up, "Second...how did you know I was in your room when you left?" Josie speaks softly, her doe eyes flashing at Penelope, messing with the whole not-caring thing she had going on.

"Doesn't matter, Jo, I don't mind. You must have missed me after I left." Penelope shrugs like it's nothing, and Josie can see that she's genuine but it still irritates her that Penelope would bring that up so breezily. Penelope left her, broken hearted and shocked by the idea that she might end up killing her sister when she turns twenty-two. She quickly stands and moves to get the hell away from where this conversation is headed, but Penelope grabs her hand before she can get away, "Oh..I didn't mean it like that Josie. I missed you too...that's all I meant." Josie breathes out at her ex's words, and she doesn't know what to say other than "Oh." as she walks off.

Josie's mind is reeling at Penelope's confession. It frustrates her that Penelope missed her. Where does she get off on missing her? She's the one who left, and she's the one who broke her heart when she did. It's even more upsetting to know that she'll just go back to being that insufferable version of herself tomorrow. Josie knows Penelope has feelings; she might be one of the few people who knows that to be the truth, which is why it's so unnerving for her to pretend to be such a heartless bitch. Its even more annoying when she acts like a heartless bitch to Josie; and it hurts. Josie hates Penelope, but she hates to see her so unlike herself, too. It's a calculated game she's playing- balancing her hate and care for Penelope, and it's proving to be difficult. Maybe she's just willing herself to hate Penelope, pushing the care away and pretending it's only hate. But she won't be addressing it anytime soon, or ever if she can help it.

Penelope is mildly uncomfortable herself after that little interaction, unable to tell what Josie was feeling when she walked away. The girl just muttered a small "oh" and Penelope could barely see her face, only realizing she had said anything by the time she was halfway up the stairs. She used to be able to read Josie so well- and in her defense, Josie never makes an effort to hide her reactions, but today she is guarded. She's often guarded around her now, unless it's disdain for Penelope she wants her to see. Brushing the weird feeling she got from Josie, she joins Hope and Stephanie for lunch, happy that her only two friends get along.

-

"I saw you with Penelope earlier." Jade says, her tone accusatory.

"Oh?" Josie's eyebrows furrow, "She was just being her obnoxious self, annoying me while I was reading."

"That's all?" Jade questions and Josie nods, "Yes...that's it. Why?" she wonders if Jade is jealous, or heard something flirty come out of Penelope's mouth at the wrong time. She tries not to think about how she agreed to a bet that is going to end in her having to kiss Penelope. She'll find a way out of it anyway.

Jade hums and walks across the room to pull on a t-shirt, "Well its just...she looked at you like she was into you."

Josie laughs from her bed, "That's definitely not it. The only thing she's into about me is bothering me." She laughs again, unable to be serious about this, because there is no way Penelope is into her- they hate each other and Penelope loves to see her angry.

"Well that's what it looked like." Jade climbs in next to Josie and the girl frowns, "Are you jealous or something? Because I really do hate her. She might be the most spiteful person I've ever met, and even if she's into me like you think, I hate her." Josie's voice ticks up, not enjoying discussing Penelope while she's in bed with Jade. Penelope is spiteful now, sure, but before she was sweet and affectionate with her. She obviously doesn't bother telling Jade that.

Jade presses a kiss to the corner of her mouth, "Forgive me for being a jealous girlfriend, then." she says and Josie really tries not to react, but she knows she tensed up at the word. Jade isn't her girlfriend, she's just a girl...friend that she hooks up with a few times a week. She likes her, sure, but she doesn't want or need a girlfriend. Jade knew that before she said it, probably trying to gauge how Josie might react to the word.

"Oh, I'm sorry I said girlfriend, I know that's your big trigger word." Jade says, her tone bitter and her eyes rolling. She moves away from Josie and Josie doesn't know how to react. How do you convince someone they aren't your girlfriend for the fifth time?

Josie turns to face her, "Jade...it's not a trigger word, that's just not what we are." She knows that isn't what Jade wants to hear, but it's the best she can do.

Jade sighs and sits on the corner of the bed away from Josie, "Josie I am so sick of this. Do you want me or not? I treat you like my girlfriend, and you treat me like some one time hookup unless you want sex or to get out of your room." Jade's tone is snippy, and Josie really can't blame her; this had been a long time coming. She doesn't know why she treats Jade so bad- she knows she does, but she can't help it. She'd just rather hang out with someone but for some reason everyone she wants to do that with starts to like her more than she is capable of liking them.

"I'm sorry, Jade." Josie tries and Jade just shakes her head, "I'm gonna go." is all she says as she re-dresses herself. "You're just gonna leave?" Josie is confused now, because why would she start that whole thing if she's just gonna leave?

"Uh, yeah. You're so good at it, I might as well try it out too." and with that Jade leaves and slams the door behind her leaving Josie puzzled behind her. Josie wouldn't say she's that good at leaving- she actually usually spends a lot of time just hanging around Jade, but the girl was clearly trying to say something to upset her. She's relieved to hear a knock at her door and Josie flies over to open it, "Jade I-"

"Nope, just me. Couldn't help but overhear the lover's quarrel-" Of course it's Penelope, in her fake nice tone that is so infuriating, especially right now. 

"Could you mind your business!" Josie moves to slam the door and Penelope stops it by sticking out her foot. She just continues, ignoring Josie trying to shove her away. "Plus, I mean I'm really digging the tiny t-shirt and underwear look, I would totally take that kiss you owe me right now." she winks and Josie shoves her back so she can finally close the door. She can hear Penelope's loud laughter on the other side of the door.

For some reason her father likes to have what he calls 'community bonding days' whenever there's nice weather or he feels like getting the whole school together for a day off. She forgot that today was an outdoor movie thing, of course, and she had been planning to lounge around in bed the rest of the day until Lizzie reminded her.

Josie dug around for some movie snacks and got some popcorn on her way to join Lizzie, MG, and Stephanie. She doesn't miss Penelope sitting at a picnic table, the girls on either side of her looking at her like she put the stars in the sky while she shoots a wink at Josie. Josie used to look at her like that, and it makes her sick.

"Hey!" Lizzie greets her as she sits on the blanket next to her, hands already digging through her bag to see what snacks she brought.

MG waves from the other side of Stephanie, who's already got a handful of Josie's popcorn. "What movie is this?" Josie asks, and Stephanie shrugs with a mouthful of popcorn. "I think it's Ferris Bueller's Day Off." MG pipes up and Josie leans back, "Thanks MG. How's it going, anyway?" he leans back to look at Josie, "Just hangin', not much going on. What about you?"

Josie always appreciates catching up with MG because he actually listens to what she's saying, as opposed to Lizzie who sometimes tunes it out. That's not to say she hasn't gotten better though, after the summer she spent with her Mom Lizzie came back much more attentive and really tried to be a better person. And while she was away, Josie really worked on the codependency issue- she did what she wanted to do all Summer long, after all Josie had been told (by Penelope, mostly) that she should do what she wants and just forget about Lizzie. She didn't take it as far as forgetting Lizzie, but when she came back their relationship was better; Lizzie let Josie do her own thing and was having very little emotional 'freak-outs'.

"Kind of a lot going on, actually. But it's going okay." Josie offers up a tight-lipped smile and MG nods, "It'll be alright. If you're talking about Peez I mean, I know she's a pain in the ass but eventually she'll just give it up." he says and holds out a little box of milk duds, "Want some? I know you like 'em." he offers and Josie laughs a little, "Yeah" she agrees, but she isn't exactly sure at what part.

The lights around the backyard turn off and the screen comes on, so Lizzie naturally hushes her and the entire group around them when the previews start.

Stephanie whispers that she's never heard of this movie before about fifteen minutes in, laughing at the part where Ferris calls his friend, and before Josie can tell her that it's one of her favorite movies ever (probably why her Dad chose it) Penelope is squeezing between them with hushed whispers neither of them can understand.

Her cousin laughs while Josie tries to move as far away as she can, only bumping in to Lizzie, who pushes her back out of her space because she's too focused on the movie to notice Penelope. "God you smell like weed." Josie pushes Penelope away, and the girl only leans closer in response, her nose inches from Josie's. "Maybe I taste like it too, wanna find out?" she bumps noses with Josie and pulls back, but not far since she's squished herself into the space so their shoulders are touching.

"You are nonstop." Josie grumbles and rolls her eyes, turning away until Penelope is back whispering in her ear, "This is your favorite part, isn't it?"

"Maybe you could let me enjoy it then."

"I had a crush on his girlfriend. What's her name again?" Penelope continues and Josie huffs. She can already tell Penelope is gonna do this the whole time.

"Sloane" she mumbles back and Penelope nods, "Right, Sloane. That's a hot name." After that she turns to Stephanie, who agrees its a hot name but only because of Mark Sloan. After a few minutes of watching in piece, Josie is once again interrupted by Penelope reaching over her for the popcorn sitting between her and Lizzie.

"You could ask, you know." Josie whispers, and regrets it immediately when Penelope turns and her face is way too close for comfort. "Well what would you say if I did?" Penelope whispers back and Josie can feel her breath across her face. She wonders if she says yes, if Penelope will steal her popcorn or a kiss from her lips. So she says "No" and shoves Penelope back into her seat, passing the popcorn over afterwards.

"That's what I thought" Penelope mumbles, shoveling popcorn into her mouth like a revolving door, and Josie tries not to get too hung up on how glum she sounds.

When she glances over to Penelope, she's already looking back at her, the projector flashing light over her face and making Josie look for longer than she wants to. Her green eyes flashed even more in the light, and Josie can't tear her eyes off of her, no matter how much she wants to ignore the gorgeous ex-girlfriend sitting next to her. Penelope is the one to look away first, quirking an eyebrow up at her before she turns back to the movie.

Josie is able to watch the scene of the principal being chased around the yard by Ferris' dog for only a minute or two, because Lizzie finally realizes Penelope is sitting with them.

"Why didn't you say the she-devil came over!" she nudges Josie and opens her arms for Josie to put some space between her and the 'she devil'.

"I tried. You shoved me off" Josie pouts, leaning her head on her sister's shoulder and watching the movie.

Lizzie rubs her back lightly, "I'm sorry, I was distracted." she mumbles and Josie just nods.

Penelope observes the interaction between the sisters carefully, noting that Lizzie actually apologizes, also noting that she doesn't think she's ever witnessed a Lizzie Saltzman apology before. Josie seems comfortable though, and it seems like maybe they actually did climb their way out of the codependency rabbit hole. She really is happy for Josie, she needed to be herself without Lizzie, and it looks like she did that. But now Penelope wonders if Josie still would have done that if she stayed, and it shakes her up.

The movie finally ends, and Josie rushes to get her things together and shoves them back in her bag, briefly feeling like a mother taking care of her toddlers instead of someone cleaning up after her best friends (minus Penelope, obviously). Her social battery was out a long time ago, and now all she wants is to sit in her bed and be lazy for the rest of the night.

Yet there Josie is, unable to fall asleep that night after thinking about finally getting to get back to her bed all day. It's midnight, and maybe it's because of her sister's snoring, but that never really bothered her before, maybe she isn't that tired. But the problem is that she is tired; her eyes are burning at every blink, and she's yawned about fifteen times in five minutes. It's the kind of tired that is so annoying she just wants to get up and throw a fit because she can't fall asleep. Josie usually falls asleep quickly when she's tired; since she was a baby her Mom always told her she was the easy sleeper, but she has a sick feeling that it's stupid Penelope Park that has her so in her head that she can't fall asleep.

So she gets up and pulls the window open, hoping the creaking noise it made didn't wake her up- and of course it didn't, Lizzie could sleep through a fucking tornado. Josie grabs her water bottle and gingerly climbs on to the roof, turning so she can sit on the flat part below her window. She sighs and looks up at the stars, naming the constellations she's had memorized since she looked out the telescope at the armory with her Uncle Damon, who had a surprising knowledge of stars himself. It usually lulls her mind to a stop, looking at the stars. She names all the ones she can see and feels herself start to relax in the cool air.

But all of a sudden, her peaceful stargazing is disrupted by smoke drifting her way. She sits up and looks to her left, eyes meeting her neighbor Penelope Park with a cigarette lit between her lips. Penelope just waves, a little smirk dancing across her lips in an obnoxiously attractive way. And Josie can't help but get up and pull the cigarette from her lips now, because it's a disgusting habit that she won't allow anyone she knows to take up. Even though Penelope looked ridiculously attractive blowing the smoke in her direction as she walked over.

"Cigarettes now? What, do you have a death wish?" she leans down and puts it out on the roof before she throws it off.

Penelope chuckles, leaning over and watching as it hits the ground, "Technically I already died." Is all she says.

Josie lingers, looking at Penelope for a second and ignoring the urge she has to stay and talk to her. She's turning to leave when Penelope looks up at her and urges her to stay, "Sit? Please?" she looks up at Josie at taps the spot next to her. And against her best judgement, she sits next to Penelope on the roof like she'd done plenty of times before. She'll just blame it on all of the horrific decisions she's been making in the love department recently.

"You shouldn't smoke." she says as she looks back up at the stars and finally finds Ursa Major, her favorite.

"It's European" Penelope counters and Josie rolls her eyes.

"You were in Europe for a year. It's really bad for you."

"Actually...I don't think I could. Do you think if someone killed me and I came back I would have cleansed lungs?" she looks to Josie, actually thinking about it now. Josie is sitting in a little ball, her knees pulled in by her arms, looking up at the night sky.

Josie is actually curious too, "Huh." she pauses and has an entertaining thought, "Will you let me kill you to find out?"

Penelope can't help but reciprocate the silly smirk on Josie's face as she laughs, "What? You'd actually kill me JoJo? I'm wounded, seriously I'm hurt." Penelope feigns hurt and Josie giggles.

"I think I would...it might be cathartic to murder you without the consequences." Josie taps her fingers against the roof and Penelope hums, "How would you do it then? Stab me 13 times or just snap my neck?"

Josie pouts, "Well now I feel bad, you know I couldn't go through with it."

Penelope lets out a knowing chuckle, "Right, you couldn't hurt a fly. Unless you lit it on fire, then you might like it." Penelope teases and turns to Josie slowly, holding back a laugh by pressing her lips together in a thin line.

"Shut up." Josie flushes.

They sit quietly, Josie looking up at the stars again and Penelope flicking through her book until Josie speaks up, "How did you get to be a vampire anyway?"

"It's kind of a dumb story."

"Well that isn't a surprise." Josie says dryly and Penelope scoffs, "Are you calling me dumb?"

"No..not in so many words. It's just that only you and Stephanie could turn into vampires by accident."

Penelope hums, "We were drinking at a bar and the next thing we knew we woke up in the back room of a bar, being fed blood by these weird people. Then they just kicked it out and we had to find our way back to school in the middle of the night...and then the school found out and expelled us both." she gives Josie the less detailed version, leaving out the part where she and Stephanie got ridiculously drunk an have no real memory of most of their night.

Josie laughs her contagious giggle, and Penelope can't help but laugh in spite of herself at the sight of Josie's toothy smile. "That is pretty dumb." Josie says when the laughter dies down.

"It is what it is, I guess." Penelope shrugs and Josie can tell she's trying to act indifferent, but she doesn't convey the nonchalant attitude she means to.

There's a lull in conversation again, but it isn't awkward. Josie feels like it should be awkward, given their status, but it it's surprisingly comfortable and it reminds her of all the times before. Back then it was usually Penelope's window they climbed out of, and when they looked up the moon was right there and they didn't have to turn, but sometimes Penelope would walk all the way across the roof to knock on Josie's window and wake her up. Josie remembers one particular time Penelope actually fell off the roof into the pool, and Josie jumped in after her. They spent almost the whole night splashing around and laughing, and by the time they looked up from each other the sun was coming up.

"You wanna make out?" Penelope leans over with a dirty smirk, interrupting Josie's reminiscing.

"And just when I thought you were back to your normal self." Josie sighs, a little bit frustrated. Josie doesn't know what she wants- she doesn't know what to expect from Penelope. She knows Penelope as the ice-queen who hated everyone when she first got here, but she also knows her as her first love. It's frustrating to know both at times like these, when Penelope is being as nice as she can be as she rebuilds her walls to shut Josie out.

"This is my normal self." Penelope looks over with scrunched eyebrows.

"Not to me" Josie says.

Penelope sighs, "I...I guess not." she huffs.

"Well now I think I might actually be able to fall asleep." Josie rubs at her eyes, a tell-tale sign that she's tired, and Penelope nearly melts at how cute she looks. While her eyes are covered, Penelope steals a long glance at Josie. Her hair is kind of messy and partially pressed to the side of her head, and she has that sleepy little pout on her lips. A piece of her hair falls in her face, making Penelope lose her view. 

"Okay." Penelope says. "Goodnight JoJo" she reaches out and tucks a piece of hair behind Josie's ear, her fingers briefly brushing the side of Josie's face. Josie moves away and sighs, "Don't do that, Penelope."

"Do what? I'm just saying goodnight." Penelope looks up at her through her long eyelashes and green eyes make a brief appearance, but Josie powers through.

"Stop playing games with me." Josie stands.

"I'm not playing games. You hate me, that doesn't mean I hate you. Plus, you know I think you look hot when you're angry."

"Ugh!" Josie groans and climbs into her window.

"'Night, Josie!" Penelope calls out through a laugh when the window slams shut.

Josie really was tired when she went back inside, but now all she can think about what Penelope just said. She was under the impression that the hatred was mutual, but Penelope just said she doesn't hate her. Which, she guesses makes sense, because she didn't break Penelope's heart, it was the other way around. Josie grumbles and tosses and turns until she can stop thinking about Penelope and finally fall asleep.

Once Josie's back inside, Penelope undoes the spell she had on her book, revealing one of the old books she stole from Belgium before she got kicked out. The library there was huge, and she searched the entire thing for books on this stupid Gemini curse, but could only find three. She breezed through the first two, and they didn't have much information besides the origin of the coven. This was the last one, and she hadn't gotten around to looking at it until now- it named a few places, and some covens that the Geminis didn't get along with, but no curse. Nobody but Caroline knew she was helping with the Merge, and she wanted to keep it that way until she found something that was actually valuable.

There's still time left before the Merge, and Caroline says she's getting close to a lead in Mystic Falls. Penelope has done copious amounts of research on her own, traveling to covens around Belgium on her own and coming up empty. Any time she finds something she thinks might be valuable, she relays it on to Caroline. Bonnie is looking too, and she and Penelope text sometimes about certain coven rituals that Caroline wouldn't get; she mentioned something about France the last time Penelope spoke to her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading !!! <3 PLS leave a comment or kudos, they gas me up so much and make me want to keep writing lol.
> 
> I think Penelope would kind of love being a vampire...what do you guys think? Also, I thought about throwing Finch in here more, but I really don't feel the chemistry between her and Josie :/
> 
> <3


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Penelope struggles with the 'emotions' part of being a vampire, and causes a few problems for herself. After Penelope and Lizzie get in a little argument at the Old Mill, Penelope does something reckless to get Josie's attention.

Being a vampire is more difficult than Penelope thought. Well not difficult, just different. It seemed pretty luxurious from what she had heard from vampires she knew, so she wasn't that upset when she turned. But she doesn't like relying on blood any more than she likes relying on anything. Her feelings are heightened, it's true- the sex is better too, she heard it would be, but her anger is worse and she can't control it no matter how hard she tries. The other heightened emotions...well she's fucking depressed, because for some reason her mind wanders to her fucking family and that sets her off by making her sad and pissed at the same time.

Penelope doesn't ask for help; she doesn't like feeling exposed to anyone, and accepting someone's pity would imply she might do the same (she wouldn't). But when she bickers with some frat boy werewolf in the hall and finds herself unable to control her anger, she honestly might have killed him, or really messed him up, if Stephanie hadn't been there to pull her back. The other thing is that she doesn't really like being a hothead all the time. Penelope prides herself on being controlled and calculated; she never does anything on accident, but when she can't even control her anger all that goes out the window, making her pick fights with random idiots in the hall without even knowing why.

"Penelope!" a shrill voice calls out from close by and yanks her down the hall before she's even fully turned, and she sees Stephanie follow her with an unimpressed look on her face. It's Caroline who is tightly gripping her arm and pulling her down the hall, already rambling about her stupid actions and all-but throwing her into Alaric's office. Josie and Lizzie watch them pass by with wide eyes at their mother scolding Penelope Park of all people while said girl wears a proud smirk, unapologetic for whatever she just did. Sure, their mother told them about how she spent time with Penelope and the Salvatores, but it was still more than unexpected to see Caroline pulling Penelope into the office like...well, like a mother would. And that is what freaked Josie out. Her cousin, her aunts and uncles, even her mother have bonded with Penelope, eliminating any chances she has of ignoring Penelope for the rest of her life; her plan until her ex found her way back to the school.

"I'm getting really sick of seeing Mom play babysitter to Steph and Penelope." Lizzie says as they pass and Josie nods, "Mostly Penelope."

"You aren't hurt, are you?" Caroline asks and Penelope shakes her head, "No" she scoffs, "I wouldn't let a stupid wolf lay a hand on me." She's sitting with her arms crossed, slouched in the chair facing Caroline, and she can't believe the smug girl sitting in front of her isn't Damon's daughter.

Stephanie scoffs from behind Penelope and Caroline glances up to her, raising her eyebrows as if she's asking how long Penelope has been acting like this. Stephanie vehemently and Caroline looks back to Penelope, who is looking between them with an amused look on her face. "Is this another vamp thing I haven't unlocked yet? Telepathic communication?" she smirks and Caroline shakes her head; Penelope might be entertaining if it wasn't so annoying right now.

"You can go if you want, Stephanie. Unless you've developed violent tendencies and with a cocky attitude too as of recently..." Caroline shoots a warning glare to Penelope and the girl shrugs, "To be fair neither of those are new developments." Penelope says.

Stephanie leaves and closes the door behind her quietly, but listens in on their conversation from the hall.

"Penelope...you know your emotions are heightened now, and you have to learn to control them- or at least talk to someone before you make a mistake. I saw you getting way too aggressive with that kid in the hall, you have to keep your anger under control and be careful, or...there will be consequences you won't like." Caroline starts and Penelope huffs at the end, "I know, but he was the one who picked a fight with me." she defends and Caroline shakes her head.

"I'm not dumb enough to believe that." Caroline rolls her eyes, knowing a few of Penelope's tricks by now, "What were you even fighting about" she asks, eyebrow raised because she knows Penelope probably has no idea why she started fighting him in the first place. Caroline heard a ruckus in the hall and came out of the office to see Penelope shoving a werewolf she didn't recognize against the wall.

"I...don't know." Penelope mutters and Caroline's face breaks into satisfied smile.

"That's what I thought. Now do I need you to make you talk about your feelings like a therapist? Because I want that less than you do."

Penelope laughs, "No, I'll stop myself from fighting stupid wolves."

Caroline kicks her feet up on the desk and Penelope is pleased to see the Caroline she's gotten to know is back. But before she asks the questions she really wants the answers to, she yells "I know you're standing outside the door!" and waits until she hears Stephanie shuffle back.

She looks back to Caroline, "How did you become a vampire?" Penelope asks, and Caroline is happy to explain her experiences with turning. Penelope is comfortable around Caroline, she likes talking to her because she never bullshits anyone, she gives things to her straight up. At first it was funny how well they got along, considering their circumstances, but after a while it was easy to forget that she was Josie's Mom, because they were kind of friends. Working on the Merge helped them get to know each other, and Caroline loved Penelope's sarcasm on the holidays and longer trips.

Josie and Lizzie are still watching as Stephanie stumbles away from the door, rubbing her ear. "Hey guys!" their cousin greets them with an easy smile, and Josie can't stop herself from asking what's going on.

She interrupts Lizzie mid sentence and asks, "Why'd my mom drag you guys to the office?"

"Not me, Penelope. She got in a but of a...scuffle, and your mom is trying to talk some sense into her."

Lizzie rolls her eyes, "Well that will take a while."

Stephanie starts down the hall and the twins walk with her, "Yeah. She's been a real pain in the ass lately, she doesn't love the whole vampire thing. Still adjusting I guess." Stephanie reveals and Josie has no idea why it upsets her to know Penelope is struggling.

"I thought she would enjoy the power" Lizzie says, "wouldn't you think so?"

"Well yeah, but neither of us like relying on blood, and Penelope can't get her anger in check. You know everything is heightened, and her anger was already up there before, so...well you can assume how it is now, plus she's refusing to talk about it." Stephanie sighs shakily, clearly worried about her friend.

Yesterday she caught Penelope going at a punching bag, punching and kicking it over and over until all of the sand fell out of it. She quietly helped Penelope clean it up, noting the silence that followed her fit of aggression. She knew her best friend was struggling with the adjustment, but she didn't know just how much. And then Penelope enticed Jackson this morning for no reason, calling him a 'good boy' because she knew it would set him off. Stephanie just hopes Caroline can talk some sense into her.

"So...Katherine turned you?"

"Yeah" Caroline nods, "she smothered me with a pillow, but that's beside the point."

"Cool. I mean..not that she killed you, that you knew Katherine Pierce. She's kind of epic." Penelope looks interested now, and Caroline can't tell if that's good or bad.

"Maybe you need to re think who you call epic. Katherine Pierce isn't exactly a role model." Caroline looks pointedly at Penelope and the girl gives in, "Fine. Then what was it like when you turned?"

"I was pretty young. Only a year younger than you, actually. I chugged down like six blood bags and fed on a nurse." Penelope hums, impressed, and sits up. "So...you want me to behave and all that? I will." She can talk more with Caroline later, but for now she'd rather just go to class. Caroline already told her what she wanted to know.

"Yes, behave. And stop picking fights. If I hear anything else, you're actually in trouble. Now stay here for like five more minutes so people think I'm mad at you, and send the other guy in if you see him." Caroline starts typing away on the computer, and Penelope stands and looks around the office.

After a few minutes of fiddling with Alaric's weird supernatural trinkets, Caroline tells her she can leave and she makes her way to her next class. "Hey puppy boy, Forbes wants you in her office!" she yells out to the werewolf and he turns to her, eyes bright. "Whatever, Park." he grumbles and walks over to the office.

Penelope pushes the door to her class open, and Emma turns from the board. "You're late, Penelope. We're learning how to use fire to create other things, like a diamond or anything else you can think of, the incantation is on the board." Penelope turns to Josie and sits on the other side of Stephanie, "I know you know this one, Josie." she winks and Josie looks away.

But Penelope continues, "You know, Josie lit me on fire once. Like actual fire. It ruined one of my favorite jackets, and took half my hair off." she whispers to Stephanie, and Josie turns to them with an angry look on her face, "I'll do it again if you don't shut up." She snaps and Penelope laughs to herself, "Can't wait." Josie sighs and focuses back on the spell, and Stephanie scoots closer to Penelope.

"So what did Caroline say to you?" she whispers and leans over to Penelope, "We just talked about how she turned, and she told me to settle down." Penelope shrugs. "Someone had to." Stephanie mumbles and Penelope shakes her head, "Whatever dude. You get this spell down yet?"

Penelope sends a little fire spell to Josie's side of the table later, and revels in the glare she gets sent her way because of it. Getting under Josie's skin is one of her favorite past times.

-

In the library that afternoon when her closes are over, Penelope is reading Stefan's journals again. Caroline mentioned something about drinking vervain for strength, and she was interested. She likes to be in control, and if sipping vervain keeps her strong then that's what she'll do. Penelope had finally gotten to the part where Stefan wrote about growing vervain when she hears someone talking about Josie.

Penelope always liked to know everything- hence her spelled pens, but her hearing let her do it even more. She could listen in on any conversation without anyone knowing. This particular conversation between a few witches in the corner of the library has her interest piqued.

"I wonder if Landon will come with us later, unless he's still hung up on Josie." Penelope stills and resists the urge to spin around and see who's talking, but sits still so she can listen in more. Did this witch just say Landon and Josie? Another girl pipes up, "I heard Josie and Jade are done now too." the girl says and Penelope hums to herself. Huh, she can't say she's too mad about that. "God, what is that, the fifth person she's been with and ruined just this year?" Penelope is now more than interested in this piece of gossip- she didn't think Josie had it in her to be honest. Josie with five different people just since she's been gone? Penelope sticks around long enough to figure out which five people they're referring to, but she's heard enough of people shit talking Josie. The only person who can do that is herself, and she only does it to annoy her, not with any cruel intentions.

Something about Landon and Josie gives her the creeps though, and she wonders how Hope feels about it. A part of her is actually bothered by it, like she simply can not picture the two of them together. Just imagining Landon and...ew, she visibly cringes on her way back to her room. Sure, she talked to Hope about how over Landon she is, but she still finds it strange that Josie would go for him. She pushes down the urge to go find Hope and goes back to her room though, because she doesn't want Hope to think she actually cares.

Stephanie is in their room when she gets back, and Penelope flops down next to her.

"I forgot how fucking boring this place can be sometimes." Penelope mumbles and gets comfortable in Stephanie's bed.

"Dude. Is it not obvious I'm in the middle of something?" She motions to her papers spread across the bed and Penelope shrugs indignantly, kicking them off. "No, it is. I just don't care." Stephanie huffs and organizes her work she obviously won't be getting back to now that Penelope interrupted her.

A few minutes pass of Stephanie working around Penelope, who makes no attempts to accommodate her workspace. "You wanna smoke?" Penelope's eyes are closed and she's nearing sleep when Stephanie actually perks up, "Seriously?" Penelope nods, "Yeah, c'mon." She stumbles out of the bed and opens the window.

"On the roof?"

Penelope nods, "Yup, you gotta walk up the roof to the chimney."

"I'm afraid of heights" Stephanie whines.

"God, you sound like Lizzie. Now shut up and get out here." Penelope climbs up the roof and leans over to look at Stephanie, who is looking down at the ground with a pout.

"Steph! The first rule is to not look down!"

"I know, I know" Stephanie closes her eyes for a second or two, and climbs out of the window without looking down. She breathes out heavily and sits next to Penelope next to the chimney, "Why would you smoke up here, we could die if we fall."

Penelope pulls a brick out from the chimney and a bag containing weed and two lighters fall out with it. "Would you take a breather Steph. It's highly unlikely that you'd fall of the roof unless I push you, plus you can't die, you're a vampire now." Penelope flicks at the lighter and takes a few puffs, passing it to Stephanie.

Stephanie reaches across her for the other lighter, "What's this-"

"Don't." Penelope pulls the purple lighter out of her reach and Stephanie's eyebrows draw together in confusion, "What is it? C'mon, show me." she reaches back out with the joint hanging from her lip. Penelope breathes out heavily and holds out her hand, where Stephanie can read the girly handwriting that says 'Josie's' with a heart over the i.

Penelope wordlessly puts it back in the hollow brick while Stephanie stares at her, "Shut up." Penelope mumbles and pulls the joint back for herself.

"Didn't say anything."

"You were thinking it." Penelope inhales and blows the smoke out, "We used to...up here." she shares, her voice soft and sentimental.

Stephanie nods, "I got that." she says, "It's cute."

"It was" Penelope inhales again, "But as you can see, it's long gone now." she's bitter now, looking around the backyard and blowing out smoke. The two of them sit quietly, passing the joint between them until Stephanie gets a text.

"That's MG" she she says, "I guess the Old Mill is a thing tonight. I'm gonna go find him." she pats Penelope's shoulder and the girl hums, "Don't fall" she warns with a dangerous smirk, motioning to push her off the roof.

Stephanie screams and Penelope nearly falls of the roof herself, caught up in a fit of giggles over Stephanie's fear of heights.

After a while, Penelope finally gets up and climbs down the roof. She isn't as high as weed used to get her, and that irritates the hell out of her too. She slams the window shut and kicks at the pile of shit in the corner of the room. "Ugh!" she yells without being able to stop herself, punching the window once more before she raids her closet for an outfit for later.

She's laying on the floor buttoning up her shirt when there's a gentle knock at her door. It isn't Stephanie, because she would just barge right in instead of knocking, and Penelope knows there's only one person who would knock on her door instead of storming in.

"What." she calls out and the door is nudged open.

"You okay?" it's Josie's melodic voice asking if she's okay, and she's tempted to say no, but she choses not to say anything instead.

"Penelope?" Josie calls out and steps in, leaning over to look at her.

She sighs and walks over until she's standing right next to Penelope's sprawled out form. Josie nudges her with her foot and Penelope grunts, "I don't speak grump, Penelope. It's a yes or no question."

"You used to." Penelope's voice is hoarse and she opens her eyes to look at Josie. She's looking down at her with her arms crossed over her chest, and her hair is falling down around her face. Penelope stares at her for a second, but snaps out of it when Josie crouches down and smacks her cheek.

"Are you okay?" she grabs at Penelope's face rather aggressively for someone asking what's supposed to be a caring question, and Penelope smiles a little. Maybe she is high.

"Why'd you try to fight Jackson today?" she tries a different question and Penelope hums, "I felt like it."

"Oh you felt like it huh." Josie scoffs.

"I coulda beat him too, don't you think?"

"I don't think about you." Josie sits down beside Penelope.

"Sure you don't. What are you doing in here then?" Penelope says back and Josie sighs.

"I just...heard you throwing things around and Stephanie mentioned you were having trouble..."

Penelope ignores Stephanie telling people she's acting different and leans up on her hands, hoping Josie doesn't see right through her. "Maybe I'll be okay if you give me that kiss you owe me." her authentic smirk grows and Josie gets up with a sigh, "You are just...infuriating."

"And here I thought you were going to say hot, hilarious, perfect, maybe. Infuriating though...I suppose it could be true." Penelope shrugs, no longer upset in favor of her banter with Josie.

Josie just turns to walk out of her room instead of answering, and Penelope calls after her, "Tell Jane I say hello."

"It's Jade." Josie turns to face her, vexed by Penelope yet again. She doesn't know why she corrects her- she hasn't talked to Jade in two days, the girl is obviously pissed at her.

"Ah right, Jan." Penelope corrects and Josie just kicks the door closed behind her.

Penelope falls back on the floor and lays there bored until Stephanie comes back in, "Hey! Time to go."

She pulls herself up and looks at Stephanie as she tugs her shoes on. "I'm getting drunk, so you have to babysit me." she warns and Stephanie scoffs, "Weird, because I'm getting drunk and you have to take care of me. So looks like we'll both be wandering drunks."

"Yeah, looks like it" Penelope laughs and loops her arm through Stephanie's on their way to the backyard. That's probably the only flaw in their friendship, that neither of them are the 'mom friend', and that's why they get in so much trouble together.

By the time they've had a few drinks and are buzzed, happy drunks, and Penelope is in the mood for some chaos. Now that she knows about Josie and Landon and well...various other people, she can't help but want to bring it up. So when she sees Landon and Josie talking during a game of whatever the newest version of supernatural beer pong is, she refills her drink and heads over.

Hope's eyebrows shoot up when she sees Penelope walking over, and she elbows Lizzie so she has the heads up too. "Incoming" Hope warns and Lizzie looks up to see Penelope's eyes set on her sister, "Uh oh. I have a feeling she knows about these two."

"And what would make you think that...." Hope's eyes follow Penelope as she stops in front of Landon and Josie.

"You two make a cute rebound couple" Penelope announces herself loudly, taunting Josie with a fake pout. "I mean you kind of look like siblings, or maybe Landon is your...deformed twin." she points right at Landon, who looks bewildered given he's only spoken to Penelope one other time, and it was only because he had free booze.

Josie mumbles an apology to Landon, and turns to Penelope, "You're drunk Penelope, leave Landon alone. And don't act like you aren't the reason I had to rebound in the first place." Josie inwardly cringes at her own comeback, she was never any good at going back and forth with Penelope like this. She couldn't even call her 'evil one' with any conviction. Josie curses herself for being so sympathetic all the time.

"You're right...I am drunk." Penelope smirks in a lopsided, teasing manner, "But from what I heard you had quite a few rebounds, JoJo. I don't remember making you bang your way through the junior class at Mystic Falls. Quite the player, huh? I would be proud if it wasn't..." Her head cocks to the side toward Landon, and Josie's jaw drops at how bold Penelope is.

Landon looks to Hope and Lizzie, who are also staring blankly at Penelope, wondering if they should let this conversation run its course or step in and stop Josie from lighting Penelope on fire (because she looks like she's going to). He would be offended if he hadn't known he was a rebound- Josie made it clear that she wasn't emotionally available so he just went along with it and hid his huge crush on her.

Josie's face is flushed in embarrassment, or maybe anger, when she speaks again, "Don't act all high and mighty when you already ran through half of this school, Penelope." she bites out and Penelope is barely fazed, replying right away with "And don't act like you aren't on that list, JoJo." She looks so proud and Josie gets even more angry, "Screw you!" she nearly screams and pushes at Penelope's shoulder.

"Oh I know you want to." Penelope laughs as Josie pushes her again, stopping herself from moving any farther back so Josie is closer, "And for the record, Josie, you could do better." and she backs away from Josie, grabbing a ping pong ball and tossing it at Lizzie's head before she turns around.

Josie stares off at her with an angry look on her face, and everyone else just looks at her with concern.

"That was...uh..." Landon tries and Josie finishes.

"Yeah, that was fucked." she says and reaches for Lizzie's cup, downing it before her sister can say a word. Lizzie rocks on her heels, at a loss for how to breach this topic. Hope leans over and offers Josie her cup, and Lizzie rolls her eyes while her twin chugs another full cup. "I don't think that was the best way to help her." she bites out at Hope, and the shorter girl shrugs. "Seemed right."

Lizzie looks back over at Josie, who is now setting up a pong game, "You good Jo?"

"Fantastic." Josie looks up with a forced smile, and Landon glances from behind her with wide eyes, "Not good" he mouths and both girls nod, but opt to just let Josie handle it on her own, because she probably won't want to talk about it until tomorrow anyway.

Meanwhile across the Mill, Penelope is sitting with Stephanie, MG, Jed, and a few others on the couch. Penelope is mid-sip when she feels a hand on her shoulder, moving down until its tilting her head back to look at Maddie. "What are you doing tonight?" she asks, her hand cupping Penelope's chin.

"Nothin'" Penelope mumbles and Maddie nods, "You want to hang out later?" she asks and Penelope sighs, "Not tonight. I have other plans." she winks and Maddie nods to herself, leaning down to kiss Penelope's cheek before she stalks off.

"Other plans?" Jed looks at her with raised eyebrows, "Please tell me you're kidding...." he turns to watch Maddie leave and Penelope laughs at his desperation.

"I have other diabolical plans lined up for this evening. Plus, she does not play for your team, at least not after me."

Jed rolls his eyes, "You are so full of yourself, P."

"Says the Alpha" she nudges him and he chuckles, "I guess you're right."

"I'm always right." Penelope rolls her eyes and Jed stands, offering his hand out. "Care to dance, Ms. Park?" he says in a funny voice, and Penelope laughs and takes his hand. She always felt connected to Jed, they were like, crazily similar and got along well from the start. She wouldn't say they are best friends or anything, but whenever they see each other they can always hang out and talk to each other easily.

For now, they're both drunkenly jumping around in the middle of the room, not an ounce of rhythm between the two of them at this point. Jed is jumping around and spinning Penelope, and they're both laughing and bumping into everyone around them without a care in the world. Every other song someone complains, and Jed just shoves them out of the way. After nearly twenty minutes, they both stumble over to the drinks table, breathless and sweaty from their dancing.

"It's so hot" Penelope whines, motioning to un-button her shirt and losing a few buttons to reveal her bra until Jed catches on.

"No..no, no. I don't think you should, uh, do that." Jed is slurring himself, but he stumbles closer to button Penelope's shirt back up. Jed always reminded Penelope of her older brother, Peter. He always acted like an older brother should, driving her to school or a friend's house when she was little; teaching her how to drive and telling her things nobody else would. But she hasn't seen him since she left for Salvatore when she was sixteen, and she's sure her mother or father have spun some bullshit story about how she was always a bad apple anyway.

Penelope hums when Jed finishes, not noticing that the buttons are now mis-matched in her drunken state.

"What if...what if I spelled this drink to make us drunker?" Penelope slurs and Jed's eyes widen. "Do it!!" he cheers and Penelope pours a disproportionate mixed drink, and then even adding a spell to make it stronger, but not taste as strong as it is. Jed picks up his cup and says "cheers!" bumping his cup into Penelope's and making it kind of spill everywhere.

She takes one sip, and it honestly tastes like water. Jed hums, "Chug it?" he suggests and Penelope agrees, taking generous gulps until the cup is empty. But when she looks up again, she sees Lizzie Saltzman interrupting her fun.

Jed points over his shoulder and flees, "Coward!" She calls after him and Lizzie steps up to take his place.

"What do you want?" Penelope grumbles and Lizzie looks down at her with a frown.

"I want you to stop bullying my sister." she says and Penelope shrugs, pouring herself another drink.

"You can't always get what you want, Liz." The nickname slips past her lips, but the look on Lizzie's face is more than worth the slip-up. Penelope nearly spits out her drink at the way Lizzie's lip curls up.

"You know what Satan? You...you are such a bitch." Penelope's eyes are already rolling; this is a conversation they've had a hundred times over, and Penelope does not want to have it again, but she lets Lizzie run through her monologue about how she's a debauched whore, an all around bad person, and a bully that terrorizes the Salvatore School. When she's finished, Penelope's hand raises and splashes her drink right into Lizzie's face on its own.

"Oops." Penelope fails to bite back her laughter, and Lizzie stammers in front of her. She fumbles before deciding to pour her own drink over Penelope's head, but the shorter girl just laughs. "You...are...intolerable." Lizzie steps closer with every word, seething as everyone turns to look at them, but Penelope doesn't let her continue. "And you are a leech. A parasite. Easy to make cry...also-" Lizzie cuts her off with a shove, and Penelope still looks like she couldn't be paid to care.

Lizzie scowls, "And you wonder why you have to steal our family...maybe yours had the right idea, forgetting you." Lizzie whispers, low so nobody else hears, but loud enough so Penelope hears it loud and clear. She wishes it didn't, but that hit a nerve for a multitude of reasons. The thought of Josie telling Lizzie about her family problems makes a chill run up Penelope's spine, and suddenly she's stone-cold sober and outrageously pissed off. She pushes Lizzie back, proud that she almost falls over from the force of it.

Lizzie stumbles back, but regains her footing quickly, "What did you just say?" Penelope bites out and now Lizzie is sporting the evil smirk, and Penelope is winding up to knock her out when she replies with a cool, "You heard me bitch." Penelope lifts her arm back and is fully prepared to finally serve Lizzie Saltzman a knuckle sandwhich until Stephanie is behind her pulling her back, and Jed is in front of her trying to draw her attention away from Lizzie.

She's breathing heavy as she tries to push Jed away from her, even though Stephanie is already dragging her outside. "What the hell was that?" Stephanie is breathless too, and she pushes Penelope to sit down in the grass with her. "She said something fucked up. It's not like I was gonna punch her for no reason. I'm not a violent person." Penelope is ripping grass out of the ground while she speaks, and she feels Stephanie looking at her.

Her best friend wraps an arm around her shoulder, and Penelope leans into her side. "You kind of are now, Pen. You have to be careful." she pats her back and Penelope sighs loudly, smelling the alcohol in her own breath. "It was about my family...what she said." Penelope speaks quietly and Stephanie sits up next to her.

"Oh...Well that's not fair."

"I know. Look, I'm just gonna go to bed. You stay, I'll see you later." Penelope stands and dusts herself off, walking through the yard and into the building through the backdoor.

By the time she gets to the kitchen, she's cooled off. She wasn't that mad about what Lizzie said, it just caught her completely off guard. What caught her even more off guard though, is how the hell she knew that information at all- it had to be Josie, because she knows Hope would never say anything about that. And it's not even a big deal, really, she doesn't give a shit about her parents, but it's just private and she definitely didn't want Lizzie Saltzman to go and use it against her while she was trying to have a good time.

The kitchen reminds her of her plan, mostly because her 'plan' is standing in the kitchen.

"Hey" Penelope acts nice, and the girl turns to face her from the counter.

"Hey?"

"It's Jade, right? I'm Penelope." she grabs a water from the fridge and crosses the room to face Jade.

"Yeah...and why exactly are you talking to me?" Jade looks extremely confused, and Penelope can't blame her, but she also doesn't really care.

"Well I had a little plan. I need a favor, actually." Penelope sits down at a stool and Jade's confusion seems to peak at this.

"Why would I help you?"

"You want Josie's attention right? Well I want to piss her off, and I have a way for both of us to get what we want." Penelope smirks while Jade seems to be thinking it over.

Josie wanders back through the yard not too long after Penelope nearly punched Lizzie in the face. She still doesn't know what caused their little fight to break out, and she couldn't convince Lizzie to tell her. She thought about finding Penelope to ask her, but she figured she wouldn't want to see her right now. When she finally makes her way up the stairs to her room, she hears giggles and someone shuffling around, until her eyes land on dark black curls pushing someone up against the wall next to her room- obviously Penelope. But when she stops and looks again, she realizes it's Jade that Penelope is messing around with.

Penelope's hand is inside Jade's shirt, and Jade is pulling Penelope closer and Josie swears this must be a fever dream because there is no way she is watching Penelope Park basically nail her most recent 'ex' in the middle of a hallway.

"What...the fuck!" she startles the girls, and Penelope turns to meet her eyes with a devilish smirk that tells Josie she's planned this. Jade looks hesitant over her shoulder, albeit satisfied at the shocked look on Josie's face/

"Oh hey Josie, didn't see you there." Penelope drawls out, just now removing her hand from up Jade's shirt. She wipes her lip off, momentarily hiding her smirk behind her hand.

"You are such a-a manipulative bitch!" Josie's voice is shaking and she's not even sure what she's saying, but she knows Penelope is to blame and she's had enough of her attitude tonight.

Penelope has the nerve to put her hand over her heart in pretend-gratitude and say, "Thank you. You don't know how much that means to me." she breathes out as if she's accepting a fucking Oscar instead of being yelled at by her ex.

"God Penelope, do you ever give it up?" Josie's hands fall to her side, and her eyes watch Jade as she leaves but they snap right back to Penelope as soon as she's out of sight.

Penelope steps closer, her arms crossed, "I don't know Josie, maybe if your wretched sister could watch her mouth just one fucking time, I wouldn't be so pissed. But you know that won't ever happen, so here we are JoJo."

Josie stumbles over her words- she was never the best at arguing with Penelope, "Don't pin this on Lizzie! You were the one just feeling up Jade in front of my room to spite me!" she steps back and breathes out a shakily. Penelope only takes another step toward her, "How do you know it was my idea?" she asks innocently, and Josie rolls her eyes almost automatically.

"Right, because Jade would do something like that." Josie scoffs.

"Well she wasn't exactly complaining. Maybe it's because I'm such a good kisser" she steps closer to Josie, "you would know about that, JoJo." Penelope shrugs, and Josie can tell the girl is trying to pick a fight with her, or at least rile her up.

She would typically flush at that kind of comment, but she can see through Penelope's smirk right now, that she's obviously trying to act like she's her normal self when she isn't. Instead of bickering in circles with Penelope, she reaches out to lightly touch her arm. "What's wrong, Penelope?" she asks quietly, and Penelope is quick to pull her arm out of Josie's reach and shake her head.

"No, I'm fine Josie. But of course you would ask that right now." She snaps, and Josie can tell that the question got under her skin even if she's got a pissy look on her face.

"You aren't fine." Now Josie steps into Penelope's face, reaching out to touch the side of her neck, "This vein on your neck is probably about to burst," Josie moves to reach up to Penelope's forehead, flattening out where her face has gotten all scrunched up in anger. She doesn't miss the way Penelope's breath hitches when she moves to tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear, the shorter girl might as well be studying her feet the way she's staring at them.

Penelope doesn't bother answering; Josie is right when she says she's not okay. "Penelope look at me." Josie huffs and pulls Penelope's chin up to look at her, meeting her sad eyes for a mere second before pulling her into her arms. Penelope's head rests on her shoulder, and she breathes out heavily as Josie wraps her arms around her- she didn't realize she needed a hug until now, with Josie holding her gently and rubbing her back.

Josie couldn't help herself from comforting Penelope; sure she had been trying to provoke her not too long ago, but now Josie can tell that she was only acting like this because she was confused and upset about something. It was frustrating-caring for Penelope Park; she's stubborn and avoids accepting help at all costs, but Josie has a habit of helping whether she likes it or not. Penelope picks her head up after a moment, stepping back and wiping at her eyes, uttering "I'm uh-I'm gonna go to bed now."

"Okay" Josie smiles at her, still brushing through her hair, "Goodnight, Penelope." she says, and leans in to peck her cheek lightly; maybe to see the flush rise up on Penelope's face, making her all awkward and flustered, or maybe just because she wanted to.

Penelope steps back after Josie pulls away, her eyes flickering around Josie's face but never staying for long, "I'm-uh, I'm going to bed now then. Goodnight Josie." she mutters and quickly turns to her room, closing the door right behind her. Josie swears she heard her sigh as the door was shut.

Later that night she runs into Stephanie in the bathroom, "Hey" she smiles at Josie, and Josie smiles back herself, greeting her with the same "Hey".

They go about their routine, and when Stephanie is about to leave , she calls out after her "Stephanie?" her cousin turns and looks at her with a questioning look. "Um...how's Penelope?" she asks shyly, quietly so no one else overhears.

Stephanie leans against the wall with a knowing smirk, "She's okay, she went to bed like, right after she got in. I'll tell her you asked?"

"Yeah" Josie says dumbly, "I just wanted to make sure she was okay." Stephanie nods, "Okay well I'll see you tomorrow Jo."

"See you" Josie mumbles back as she goes.

When she gets back to her room, there's still no sign of Lizzie and it's late. She can only assume she's drunkenly messing with Raf to hide her feelings for Hope, or is busy talking Hope's ear off in an attempt at flirting. Either way, Josie assumes she'll be a while, and is kind of upset that she won't be able to talk to her about whatever the Hell Penelope has going on.

The rational part of Josie knows she shouldn't worry about Penelope, but she can't help it-when she sees Penelope upset she can't just ignore it. And she's no stranger to seeing Penelope act out because of her feelings; she did it for months before she left, harassing Lizzie and non-stop messing with Josie even though she still loved her. Penelope might actually be one of the worst people she knows at processing feelings (besides Lizzie and Hope of course), she acted out, but still, Josie should have seen her true feelings and read the damn letter like she asked her to. Now she knows Penelope wasn't lying when she said she would understand why she did everything she did-she did it for Josie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter is when h*manity issues arise...
> 
> Thx for reading, and pls leave a comment if u want to, I love reading them :))
> 
> p.s. this chapter isn't allll the way edited so lmk if u find any mistakes


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